The Difference
by Candice Fox
Summary: COMPLETE!Sarah Jane is alone. Her Mutation has made her a water angel and at 14,a mother. With many bad decisions behind her,she is sweapt into a fight to protect Xavier's school, the refuge of her child that she abandoned at birth.
1. Sarah Jane

**Disclaimer: I'm only going to do it once, so here it is. I don't own x-men. I thought up this story when listening to the song 'Sarah Jane' by Out of Eden, so i don't own Sarah or Marcus either:(**

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**The Difference**

**1. Sarah Jane**

I ran through the rain, the ice pellets hitting my face and body, but I didn't care, I kept running. People who saw me would probably wonder what I was running from or too, but no one ever sees me, they all try not to.

I pulled my coat tighter trying to cover my round belly. I was pregnant, but I hadn't done anything to be this way. We all thought I was getting fat but as it grew, its real meaning came clear.

I crawled into an alley and slumped down, my back against the wall. As I rubbed my bruised face my mind wandered back to my past.

I hadn't always been as I am now. I was once a beautiful, happy girl with friends and family.

* * *

"Sarah! Sarah Jane Montgomery what are you doing up there!" screamed my mother up the stairs. My best friend Liana and I fell back on our bed laughing.

"Nothing mum!" I gasped out.

Li and I had been conducting an 80's exercise class on my bedroom floor. That's a pretty dumb thing to do for 14-year-old girl, I should be acting mature, by I didn't care. I had always cared, yet not cared what people thought of me. Is that understandable?

I would dress, talk, and act like the kids at school, but I liked to enjoy life in my own personal ways as well.

"'Nothing' doesn't involve two teen girls banging a hole through the ceiling." My mother called back. This only made us laugh more.

* * *

A man crawled out from a box in the alley and looked me over.

"An what 'appened to you?"

"Nothing." I replied, getting really scared.

" Yoah a pretty little thing ain't ya," he said. He walked over to me and stroked some of my tangled raven hair out of my face. I flinched, and slid out of his reach.

"Awe come on love, I jus' wanna be friends wit you." The man took another step towards me.

"Stay away!"

The man leapt at me and I had no choice. I felt the water flowing through me like it had only two days ago.

My whole body broke apart and I had become water, there was nothing human left about me. The man stopped and his mouth dropped open revealing rotting teeth.

"My Gawd! Yoah one of dem!" he let out a scream as I smashed my wave into him full force. He was swept off his feet and skidded down the street.

When he stopped skidding, he stood up and went running as far away from me as possible. I splashed to the ground and quickly began to gather up, my human form returning shape.

I leaned against the wall and cried; he had said I was one of them. I didn't want to be, but I that is what I was, what I had become. I was a mutant.

* * *

"Gee Sarah Jane, you look pretty."

I blushed at the compliment. I was at the school dance with the cutest guy in the school, Jordan Harris.

I was never the most popular kid, but Jordan had asked me to be his date anyway. I had a crush on him since I was thirteen and there was no why I would refuse him.

The night before the dance I couldn't sleep. In fact, I hadn't slept for the past two weeks. The strange thing about that was that I was never tired, not at night, not during the day. But I was way to excited to think anything of it.

The night of the dance finally arrived and I put on my pretty blue dress. I like blue, it matched my eyes, and it was also my birthstone colour.

My dress had been bought the day before. I had to buy it that close to the dance in order for it to fit my growing stomach. Thanks to its frills, it hid the small lump perfectly.

I met Jordan at the dance; he wasn't about to pick me up on his bike or anything.

The party was wonderful until about 10 O'clock. That's when everything went wrong.

I had been dancing a lot, yet I wasn't thirsty. Jordan on the other hand was in desperate need of a cold beverage.

He went to off to get one, when one of his friends, Charlie, grabbed me and began to dance. I didn't really want to dance with him, but he was holding me so tight I couldn't escape.

He suddenly pulled my so close that he could feel the bulge of my belly. When he felt it, he pulled away and stared at me.

"Do we have a little secret then?" he asked in a sly voice.

"Not at all." I said, trying to act calm.

"Then explain that." Charlie reached forward to touch my stomach, and I jumped back. He lunged and grabbed hold of my wrists, and then it happened.

I was angry and filled with rage and something began to feel strange. I didn't feel like me anymore, and all the people were staring, wide eyed at me.

I ignored the stares and ran at Charlie. I felt myself make contact with him, but it didn't hurt like I thought it would. When I looked down, he was soaking wet, sitting in a puddle of water.

I wondered who had thrown water on him, and as I scanned the room I looked in the mirror and caught sight of something terrible. Standing there, staring angrily back at me was a water monster.

Actually she seemed more like and angel, with a smooth face, and her hair in thick strands all created out of water. She didn't have any feet, just a huge stock of water. I looked down at my own feet and realized I had none! I was the water woman!

I panicked and suddenly splashed like a wave out of the building and when I was a block away I stood still and concentrated. I

felt something about me coming together, and when I opened my eyes I saw that I was back to flesh again. I felt my skin and hair and realized I was dry. I was so confused and scared, but I had to be sure.

I stuck my palm out and closed my eyes, concentrating. When I felt my self-shifting, I looked down and watched as a huge blast of water shot from my hands.

I let out a cry and ran all the way home. When I got there, my family was waiting on the front porch, my father with a baseball bat in his hand.

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

"Your what's wrong. Your friend Liana called, told us what you did, told us what you are," said my Father, a look of disgust on his face.

" Please Daddy, I didn't mean to."

"Don't call me that. I'm no father to any mutant," he spat out.

I ran into the house and up to my room, tears blinding my vision.

"Get out of my house freak!" I heard my father screaming. I don't know how I kept my head, but I grabbed a jacket and pulled it on. I was going to be kicked out and I knew I would need it.

My father banged into my room and swung a hand at my face. I hardly felt the pain of the blows my father landed on my head, I only felt pained by in the look of disgust my father gave me, and the way my family cheered him on.

When I had the chance, I stood up and fled the place. I never stopped running. I spent the night in the forest. When I awoke, my stomach was larger, and I knew I was pregnant, pregnant without reason.

* * *

I moved away from the alley, in the opposite direction then the man had run.

I needed money, I need something to eat and a place to stay. But no one saw me, no one heard me. I wondered if I had ever ignored people as they were doing to me now. What had I done in life to deserve this?

I put a sad hand to my face, but instead of feeling the sting of my bruises everything was normal. I prodded my face more and realized that they had healed.

They had vanished when I had become the water freak.

The monster.

* * *

Well there is my first chapter. I really need some feed back to hear what i'm doing right and wrong. I'm thinking of starting in third person instead, what do you think?

Leh Sundance


	2. Marcus Brown

**2. Marcus Brown**

People walking beside the gray apartment building always felt strange, like they were being watched.

They would look around them, from left and to right and never see anyone, yet they always had the same feeling when they passed by. It seemed strange that they never bothered to look up.

High in a fifteenth floor stood a young boy hardly older than ten. He would stand by the window all day and watch people with his hollow eyes that had more black in them then white.

He spent his life locked up in a white apartment. There were no chairs or tables, no appliances, and no pictures on the wall. The only thing in the room other than the boy himself was a small mattress set on the floor.

Marcus Brown had only been five when he had been locked in the apartment. He sat and let the days slip by, staring at the people passing below, reading their thoughts inside their head.

He would break from his watching only when the door opened three times a day delivering his meals.

Today was the first day of summer. That's what kept him locked in for so long. He used to be allowed out for school, but he was no longer allowed to participate in public activities.

Last time Marcus read the mind of his caretaker, Patrick, he had discovered the reason for this withdrawal.

Patrick believed that if Marcus didn't go to school, then he wouldn't learn and grow smart enough to gain power with his mutation.

Little did Patrick know that he could learn everything he would get to know at school, by reading the minds of others. In fact, he was now smarter than most adults, all because of the knowledge he absorbed.

Marcus stared down at his empty plate and then back out the window. He was restless; he wanted to have a breath of fresh air. The windows in his apartment didn't open, he only had air-conditioning to cool him.

Silently Marcus arose and walked quietly across the white-carpeted room. He lifted the lid off the toilet tank and reached in. Stuck to the inside of the lid was a key to the room.

Patrick had been smug, thinking he was the only one who could access the apartment but once again he was wrong. One day Marcus made the landlord give him a key, using the small amount of mind controlling power that Patrick, was un-aware that he possed.

Marcus didn't have a jacket, but it didn't matter it was summer anyway. He quietly unlocked the door and stepped out.

He crept along to the elevator, staying extremely close to the wall. In the elevator there was a man and women, both of them dressed in business suits.

The woman looked down at the young boy and he smiled kindly up to her. She just kept a stiff face and looked up again. This didn't matter to Marcus; he just walked off the elevator on the bottom floor, happy to be outside for a while.

He decided that it would be best to stay close to the building, just in case. He leapt over a puddle and walked into the side alley.

Lying on the ground with a few newspapers over her was a girl. Marcus crept cautiously over to her and peered into her mind. He was almost knocked down by a wave of fear and pain. Her mind seemed to flow like a river, not in the way of homo sapiens, she was like him.

Marcus reached out and touched the girl; her mind had revealed to him that she was awake. She moaned and rolled over, her blue eyes filled with fear.

"Hi." Said Marcus calmly.

"Hi." The girl replied with a shaky voice.

"You're a mutant too." He stated.

"Too? Are you one?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"You seem to need a place to rest." Marcus said.

"I don't need to sleep," replied the girl bitterly.

"You'll need to relax and get refreshed if you want that baby of yours be healthy. You can stay at my apartment. Come on." Marcus turned and walked back out of the alley.

He heard the girl debating in her mind whether or not to go with him, but when she thought of her baby she quickly got up and followed him.

* * *

I had walked around all night, realizing that my lack of sleep was part of my mutation. The more I though about it, I realized that water never sleeps. It only ever calms down.

Some time the next morning I lay in an alley, feeling hopeless. As I lay there, I had the creepy feeling that I was being watched, but I stayed the way I was.

When a hand touched my arm I was startled and turned around. Looking down at me was a strange boy dressed all in gray clothing. His hair was blonde , which made his pale skin look even fainter.

He had haunting eyes that were blacker then the white in them. They seem to dig into the depths of me and discover secrets that even I didn't know. His hair was blonde making him look sickly.

"Hi." He said. He still had his boyish voice, I guessed him about eight, but he could have been older.

"Hi." I replied. It seemed like he wouldn't speak again until I had acknowledged him.

"You're a mutant too." What he said was a statement, not a question.

"Too? Are you one?"

"Yes."

"Oh." I hadn't thought there were that many mutants in the world, and it was odd that I would find another one so quickly. It also scared me that he knew what I was. There was nothing on my outward appearance that would make him think I was a mutant.

"You seem to need a place to rest." He stated once again.

"I don't need to sleep."

"You'll need to relax and get refreshed if you want that baby of yours be healthy. You can stay at my apartment, come on."

The boy stiffly turned and walked off. I didn't know if I should follow him. He seemed innocent enough, but I didn't know anything about him or how he livid.

I felt the baby inside me kick and I looked down at my stomach. I wanted the best for my baby, and following this kid could give him that chance.

I quickly stood up and scrambled after the boy. He led me into the big apartment building I had been lying behind, and right to the fifteenth floor.

I was shocked at his apartment. It was all completely white, with only a mattress in a corner and a plate and fork sitting by the window.

He walked into the bathroom and I followed. I was beginning to think he was a loony when he pulled the lid to the toilet tank off and stuck his key into it. He turned to me and stared at me with his cold eyes.

" I'm not mad. I'm not supposed to be able to get out you see."

I was startled. How did he know what I was thinking? But then I remembered he was a mutant as well, was that his power?

"Yep, I can read minds." He confirmed.

"Please don't read mine." I said irritably.

" Okay, I wont for now. You can have a shower. I don't have anything to replace your dress. Sorry." The boy walked out of the bathroom.

I sighed and looked in the mirror. My black hair was in tangled clumps all over my face. My face was a healthy pink, but my dress was dirty and torn. I sighed again and turned on the water to fill a bath.

It felt so good when I sank into the steaming water that I began to relax. I was a water mutant and so it felt wonderful to be surrounded by what I was made of.

I closed my eyes, just enjoying everything, when suddenly they snapped open again. I felt something again. It was always a feeling that made things go wrong.

It was a sense that I could shift my shape, but not like the feeling I got when I shifted into water. This new sensation was only from the waist down.

"If you concentrate you may be able to get results." Came the boys voice from the other room.

"I though you said you'd keep out of my mind." I said, a bit annoyed.

"I made no promises."

I didn't like him invading my privacy but I closed my eyes and concentrated on the feeling. Suddenly I felt my body shifting, but I didn't open my eyes, I wouldn't until I had finished.

When the process was complete I opened my eyes and looked down. I let out a screech and quickly flung my hand over my mouth.

"Very interesting." Said the boy in the other room.

It wasn't interesting to me, it was scary. I was looking down at my legs that were legs no more, I had a tail!

"So your no longer just the water angel, you're a mermaid." Said the boy.

His little comments were getting annoying. I'd give him a piece of my mind when I got out of this tub.

I was then stuck because I realized I couldn't get out of the tub being not only pregnant, but also with a tail, and I didn't know if it was reversible.

I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes. Slowly my tail began to morph away until I saw my legs again. I was out of breath when I was finished; it had taken double the effort to make it go away.

Once I was finally dried and dressed, I wasn't angry enough to be rude to the boy. The boy, I hadn't learned his name yet.

"I'm Sarah Jane. What's your name?"

"Marcus Brown. Are you hungry Sarah?" I screamed 'yes' in my head and it was obvious that he had been listening. "I saved some bread today from my breakfast, you can have that until lunch comes."

Marcus gave me a piece of toast, which I gobbled up. When I looked up again, he was staring at me with those haunted eyes again.

"Who was the father?" he asked, looking at my stomach.

"There wasn't a father."

"There is always a father to create a child."

"Not this child. This one was created with my mutation." It was difficult to explain my child of mutation.

There was no other way I could be pregnant considering I was still as pure as this white apartment.

**...how was that for a second chapter. Good? Bad? Review.**


	3. The Goodbye

**Three chapters in one day...i'm on a roll. I'll be in a writers block soon, so no worries. So far i've been doing Sarah Jane in first person and Marcus in Third, that may change.**

**Clarification:**

**Sarah Jane's mutation allows her to become water and also grow a mermaid tail lol. She can heal herself by morphing into water, and she can't sleep, and doesn't need sleep. She also doesn't need to drink anything to keep her fluids up. Her mutation was what made her pregnent, but at the moment i havn't come up with a good enough reason why that is yet.**

**Marcus Brown is a mind reader with small amount of mind controlling powers. He has eyes kind of like sabertooths in the first X-Men movie. He is ten years old, but knows more than people who have been through school.**

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**3. The Goodbye **

I stayed with Marcus for the next three days. It was tricky living with him. He wouldn't say much during the boring days and when he did it was always statements, things read strait from my mind or the minds of others.

After the first week we worked out a plan where after breakfast (he always gave me half of what was on his plate) Marcus would let me out and I would wander the streets until lunch.

Once I got a day job, helping clean a building for a business that didn't have much money to spare. I got less than the minimum wage, but it allowed me to stay out later without having to come home to eat Marcus' food. It also meant that I could by a cheap pare of jeans and a top from the thrift shop, to replace my ragged dress.

I was asked to spend the nights inside, but Marcus didn't understand what it was like to be un-able to sleep. I began to leave at nights any way, until Marc gave me the idea to get out books from the library and my form of nightly entertainment.

I would sit in the bathroom with the light on, reading books all night, until Marcus let me out in the morning. I always hid my stack of books behind the curtains incase Patrick ever came in.

One evening I was peeking out of the white curtains, watching the people of Boston drive or walk by. Suddenly a pain shot through my body and I let out a cry. Another pain seized me and there was a splash of water, falling to my feet. My water had broken.

"Ma-"

"I know, lets get you to the bathroom." Said Marcus, arising from his bed.

Marc took my arm and steered me to the bathroom. He got me to lay in the bathtub with my legs open.

"I don't think I should lie here," I said nervously.

"I once read the mind of a nurse, I think I can handle this." Said Marcus, rolling up his sleeves.

It turned out that he didn't know as much as he claimed, because my pains got worse and worse, the baby wouldn't come out.

Marcus suggested he try a cesarean, but I asked him with what tools would he perform this? I had him stumped.

I felt one shock of pain, and I realized this baby had to come out. With a loud scream I let my body take over.

* * *

Marcus Brown was worried for the moaning girl before of him. Her baby was stuck and he was unable to assist her.

He jumped back as she let out a wail like the dead and her body shifted into water, and as the water shifted, a baby formed with in it. It was a boy, and he was struggling, un-able to breath in water.

Marcus lunged forward and snatched the baby out of the water. It began to cry healthily, and with a sigh, Sarah Jane sagged back to her human form again.

"You got a boy, Sarah." He said, wrapping the baby in a towel and handing it to her. "What's his name?"

"Aren't you going to read my mind to find out?" asked Sarah Jane.

"No, I want this to be a surprise."

Sarah looked lovingly down at her baby boy and stoked his face. "Bobby. Bobby Grey."

Sarah smiled and gave Marcus' gray clothing a tug, showing that her sons middle name was in his honour.

Although Marcus wouldn't admit it, he was very touched, and he loved the child. So much, that he was willing to do anything to give it a perfect life.

* * *

I looked down at my sleeping Bobby, wrapped in a pillowcase, then back up to the door of the adoption center.

My heart was filled with sadness. Could I really give away my baby boy? It seemed like the right thing to do.

After all I wasfourteen, a mutant, and was I supposed to tell him that he was only born because of my messed up mutation powers?

"I can't do it Marc," I said. Marcus who was standing beside me put a brotherly hand on my shoulder.

"You know this has to be done Sarah."

"Yes," I sniffed. I had been trying very hard not to cry, but I guess I had failed.

"I can do it if you want."

I looked down into Marcus' dark eyes. I knew he cared for Bobby just as much as I did.

I pulled my child close to my face. "I love you," I whispered. I kissed Bobby on the cheek, and then handed him to Marcus.

Marc held the baby tight and marched into the office. I was going to walk away, but I ran back and peeked through the door.

"Hello ma'am. I was walking with my friends the other day and I found this baby, abandoned in a trash can."

The woman behind the desk held a look of horror. "Why the poor thing. Here I'll take him son." Marcus handed my baby over to the woman. She was about to carry him off to another room, but Marcus grabbed her skirt.

"Please ma'am, he seemed so new that I needed too give him a name. His name is Bobby Grey. Do you think you can keep it that way?"

The woman studied Marcus' innocent face for a moment then gave him a kind smile. "I certainly will dear. Now run along."

"Thank you."

Marcus scurried towards the door, and I quickly turned and walked towards the apartment, tears streaming down my face. I heard Marcus' smaller feet running to catch up with me, shortly after I felt his small hand in mine.

"I'll check to see what happens in a few days okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

Sarah Jane hung around the apartment, nervously and never going out, for five days. That's how long it took for Bobby to be adopted.

Marcus arrived in the afternoon with the news. He told her that he had been adopted by Michael and Jenny Drake. A nice family who sadly hadn't been able to have children

This put Sarah slightly to rest, but Marcus knew her time with him would be short. He was not surprised that at the end of the week he woke up and found no trace of her.

The night before she had kissed him on the cheek before he had gone to sleep, and he knew with out reading her mind that this was goodbye.

** ...Well there is it, my next chapter. I wonder what the fourth one will bring, so far i am clueless. When i am finished the story I will post the words for the song that gave me the idea for this story. But you have to wait till i'm done:D**

**Review...that is a very Marcus like command.**

**Leh Sundance**


	4. Alone and Watched

**4. Alone and Watched**

I sat alone in the kitchen un-able to sleep. I always found it strange that I couldn't sleep some nights, where other nights I could. I was never tired after those nights of no rest, which made things even more puzzling. Professor Xavier said it was probably just part of my mutation.

I sighed and took another scoop of ice cream. I remembered that last time I had done this the mansion had been attacked. I had quickly jumped behind the counter as the soldier's gun went off while Logan fought him. I snorted as I looked to the fridge, Logan's claw marks still dented into the metal of the door. After the soldiers had come, all of us had fled as quickly as possible.

I felt like crying as I remembered what my brother had done to me.Mom and Dad wouldn't punish Ronny for what he did. Ronny was their birth child, I was not. Besides, I don't think they really supported mutants anyway.

I had lived such a great life with my family before I became a mutant, even if I had been adopted.

The story was that some kid brought me into the adoption agency wrapped in nothing but pillowcase. The kid told the lady my name was Bobby Grey. My parents names me Robert Grey Drake, but they still called me Bobby, they just thought 'Robert' was more correct.

"Bobby." I looked up startled. Rogue was standing in the door way sleepily.

"What are you doing up Rogue?"

"I had a nightmare, I just need something to drink."

I silently watched Rogue as she poured herself a glass of milk. After Alkali Lake, she and I had broken up.

There wasn't any emotional strain when we made the decision; we just got back to our lives. I guess we weren't as attached to each other at everyone, including us, had thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Rogue asked, turning to me.

"I was thinking about my family...and John. I keep wondering why he torched those police men."

"John wasn't happy. Fire is what made him feel real."

"How would you know this," I asked sullenly. I knew the answer to that question, so she did not answer.

She once explained that when she touched some one she did not only borrow their powers, but also got a glimpse at their memories and feelings.

We sat quietly at the table for about half an hour. Rogue stood up and walked out of the kitchen, without a word said. She had been like that a lot lately. Going quietly off on her own, failing to communicate with any one.

She was sometimes caught talking to no one in particular. This made a few kids nervous, but at a school for mutants, not much could surprise or scare anyone.

I went up to my room and lay down in my bed. I dozed off into a light sleep, still aware of my surroundings. I figured this was better than being alone and awake.

* * *

Rogue sat in the window seat in her room, gazing dreamily out at the moon. She listened as the Eric inside her head recited a poem about the moon.

"That was beautiful Eric," she said, when he had finished. "I'd like to be left alone for awhile."

Sweet Dreams Dearest

"Sweet Dreams Eric." Rogue whispered.

Jubilee moaned and rolled over in her sleep. Rogue kept still, but continued to stare out the window.

Something at the edge of the forest moved, and the Logan inside her head alerted her that something or someone was out there.

Rogue shivered and pulled her blanket around her shoulders. She would leave whatever it was alone.

* * *

Quietly I sat at the edge of thee forest, the cold wind blowing into my dark clothing. I always got the crappy jobs, but this one sure took the cake.

All I got to do was watch the mansion, seeing how many were awake during the night. I let out an aggravated sigh, knowing I would have to do this every night for the next week.

My fingers itched to flick my lighter open, but I had been given strict orders not too. Magneto told me that I might attract unwanted attention to myself if I dared to light up a flame.

I scanned the windows with my eyes. Bobby's light was on in his room, but it soon flicked off again. I remembered that when I used to share a room with him he would sometimes wake up in the early hours of the morning. A trait I defiantly didn't miss about him.

I looked from window to window and in one I saw a pale face looking out in my direction. My heart skipped a beat and I froze. Peering from behind my bush, I studied the face in the window. It was Rogue.

She was staring out into the night with her haunting brown eyes, not seeming to be focusing on anything in particular.

She looked in my direction for a few minutes, before leaning back in her seat. I watched her for a half an hour, she seemingly had fallen asleep sitting up.

I crept quietly out of the bushes and into the open, hoping to get a better look at her.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she stared calmly at me.

A watched as her lips mouthed the word 'John'.

This made me angry, I was no longer John. 'Pyro' I mouthed back. Rogue just shook her head and leaned back again, closing her eyes. I thought she would have reported me, but she didn't move.

The sun began to slowly rise and I knew it was time to leave. But I would be back again tomorrow night.

* * *

The next morning two people stood at the edge of the forest, looking at the mansion.

The first person was a woman. She stood tall, with long black hair and electric blue eyes. She was dressed in many different shade of blue and looked no older than 19. But if you were to stare into her eyes, you would see that looks were deceiving, she had more life experience than many.

Standing closely behind her was a man in his twenties. He too had black hair, but his eyes were not blue, they were red on black.

"What do you think Remy, you gonna come in with me?"

"Remy thinks he will stay here until Mon Cherie sends for him."

The woman nodded and marched confidently out of the bushes and up to the big building. She didn't knock when she reached the front door, but walked right in.

No one was in the entrance, so she headed down the empty halls to the classrooms, it was obvious she had been here before.

Since the doors led to the back of the classroom, no one saw her enter, accept for one boy with blonde hair who turned to face her.

Scott looked up from his desk and smiled broadly when he saw the woman. " Marina!" he called, startling the students. This was the first time he had smiled since Jean had died.

"Hey Scotty boy."

Scott walked up to the woman and embraced her warmly. "Its great to see you 'Rina. Are you looking for the professor?"

" Yes, you know where he is?"

"Down below. You know your way down."

Marina nodded ad waked gracefully out of the room. She went to the nearest elevator and headed to the lower levels of the mansion.

She heard voices coming from a medical lab, so she let herself in.

The professor had already faced the door, a smile on his face, and a handsome man with a grim look standing beside him.

"Ah Marina, it was good of Scott to tell you where I was."

"Hello Professor," said Marina with a grin. She hadn't been around for 4 years yet she was being treated like she had never left. That was so like the Professor.

"This is Logan, also known as Wolverine, he is a newer member of the team. Logan this is Sarah Jane Montgomery, known by all as Marina Ocean."

* * *

Thanks for the two reviews that i have received. It makes me feel special to have a whole two reviews for my story. (This was all said in a somewhat sarcastic note)

Keep Reviewing!

Leh Sundance


	5. Brief Transactions

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* * *

4. Brief Transaction**

I don't know what happened. I was sitting through another one of Scott's boring classes and suddenly I had this sense like something very important was standing behind me. I turned and look straight into the eyes if a beautiful young woman.

She had blue eyes that were almost painful to meet. But I had felt almost close to her. When she left the class room I was afraid that I may never get a chance to speak to her, but some how I got the feeling that she would be staying around for awhile.

"Earth to Bobby," cooed Kitty, waving her hand in my face. That girl has been attempting to flirt with me ever since Rogue and I broke up.

She was a flirt machine who longed to be the balm to every mans broken heart. Saddly for her, I had no heart pains and no need for her 'balm of refreshment'.

"Bobby, you've like been staring into space ever since that strange woman came in."

"Sorry. I was just thinking, that's all."

"I totally don't believe people should think _that_ hard," said Kitty, fluffing her hair.

Let me tell you, I had complete faith that Kitty kept to her police about not using her brain. In fact, I don't think she used her mind at all unless it was thinking about boys or the latest fashions.

"Scott seems to know her real well," commented Jubilee. "I wonder who she is."

"Yeah, me too." And I really did.

* * *

The X-Men all sat around the table for a meeting that night. Only Scott and the professor seemed to know who Marina was.

"So what brings you here Sarah?" asked the professor.

"Well sir, I brought my friend Remy with me. You all know Remy LeBeau don't you?" Marina asked.

" Marina why did you bring him here? He's a thief!" exclaimed Scott.

"And a good man." (A/N haha pirates of the Caribbean line.)

Scott leaned back, and probably rolled his eyes, but it was impossible to tell through his visor.

"Any way, Remy's seen some stuff that makes him a bit un-comfortable. We think it concerns you, and thought it was best you know."

"What is it?" asked Logan irritably.

"Keep your pants on. Remy should tell you himself. Shall I send for him Charles?" asked Marina.

"Yes you may."

Marina jumped from the table and walked down the hall. A group of teenagers were sitting in one of the halls laughing. One of them was the boy that had first seen her when she entered.

" Hi." Said the girl dressed all in yellow. Marina instantly liked her. Any girl who wore all one colour was worth her notice.

"Hey, I'm Marina Ocean."

"I'm Jubilee, that's Kitty, Peter, and Bobby."

"Great to meet you all. I'm in a meeting with the professor, but I just stopped to fetch a friend from the forest. Do you think one of you can do it for me?" asked Marina.

"I'll do it," said Bobby immediately.

"Thanks doll." Marina turned and walked back into the office, as Bobby left the group and walked outside.

He hadn't bothered to ask where in the forest this guy was, he seemed to understand Marina and him had parted at the edge.

"Hello?" he called, cupping his hands. "Um Marina wants you to come inside to a meeting now!"

There was a ruffle in the bushes and a man with messy black hair crept out.

"When dah Cherie calls, then Remy comes."

* * *

I sat in my chair looking at the X-Men. It had been so long since I had seen Scott or the Professor, I hadn't realized until now how much I had missed them. Seeing Bobby had been a shock, even if the professor had warned me.

When I had heard what his family had done to him I just wanted to hug my son and tell him who I was, but it was to late for that. He was attached to the Drake family, and so I wouldn't drag him from them.

It was very sad to think I was the one to make him a mutant. Seventeen years ago I was too dumb to think that maybe a child created by mutation and born by a mutant would be destined to be one himself.

I looked up to see Bobby usher Remy into the room. I could feel Scott beside me grow tense, if he could be any more then he already was.

"Welcome Remy, please take a seat." Said the professor.

Remy looked only slightly un-comfortable, I guess it was because he was surrounded by so many 'good guys'. He looked over at me and I smiled at him reassuringly.

"Tell them what you told me Remy."

"Well a month ago Remy be working for...someone, when I stumbled upon some information."

"Which was?" asked Scott.

"Patients Mon Ami. Remy is getting to it." Remy flicked a strand of hair out of one of his red eyes. "Remy heard that some one is not happy with Xavier and his little mutants, they wanna do something about your school."

"But its always been like that, hasn't it?" asked Storm.

"Yes, but not like before. These people, they have a weapon. Remy don't understand what, but they are full of hate for you professor. I just thought you needed to know."

Remy looked around the room, nodded to the professor then left, before walking out of thee room.

"Where is he going?" asked Logan.

" He's said what he's had too. He's leaving." Said Marina. Remy was never one to stick around; it was hard enough for him to say what he did, even if the information was little.

Remy walked through the building towards the door. Rogue was standing in the doorway talking to one of the people in her head, but stopped when she saw the young man staring at her.

Rogue opened her mouth to explain, but Remy just smiled and kissed her gloved hand.

He walked out the doorway and into the night.

** ....there is chapter four! Short i know, but i wont be writing tomorrow so i thought i would update now instead of later. Remy is gone so quickly because i honestly don't know that much about him. I've only read about him in other fan fictions and loved him. He may show up again later, so if you have any information to share about him then please tell me.**

**LostMuse13: Yes thanks to you mentioning it, i may indeed think toad will apear at some point. I always thought it was dumb of him to be killed off.**


	6. Water and Ice

**LostMuse13: Is Ray Park really signed up to do x3!?!?!?! Or is this something you just said to give me a major heart attack and send me to the hospital for the next week to have a heart transplat and my exploded kidneys removed?**

**6. Water and Ice**

"I should have read his mind," said the professor.

"He wouldn't have let you, even if you said please," I replied. The professor was very shaken by what Remy had said. He would be heading to cerebrum soon to see what he could find.

"Marina, can't you ask him for more?"

I put a frustrated hand to my forehead. "No Charles I can't. Remy is already heading back too...wherever he wants to go."

"But 'Rina, he will do all you ask of him. You are respected."

"Yes I am respected, but that doesn't mean he'll do everything I ask."

My working for the less ' respected' parts of society in my younger years made me a senior today. I may be a leader, but people only follow what's within their comfort zone, the Professor didn't understand that.

"Sarah, I know what happened to Marcus has made you hard, but you must help us."

"I don't have to do anything!" I snapped. Talking about my past was hard enough, but the professor was going to far. "You should get some rest. Good night." I turned and walked quickly out of the office.

It was when I was walking down a dark hall that the ghosts of the past caught up with me. I slumped down against a wall and listened to them, remembering all that happened 'that' night.

* * *

A fourteen-year-old boy walked quietly through the halls of a concrete building. He had blonde hair and a very pale face. He was dressed all in gray, and had a brown bag slung around his shoulder.

He walked up to a door with a code lock. He typed in the code and walked through. Inside the room were a bunch of computers sitting on desks. He walked up to one and turned it on. He worked quickly, finding the information he wanted and coping it on to a disk.

When he was done, he popped the disk into is bag and headed out the door. He was half way down the hall when two guards walked in and saw him.

" Hey! You there, freeze!" screamed one of the guards.

The teen didn't have to freeze, he hadn't moved at all since the guards had entered.

"There is a man with a gun in the next room, you better go get him." He said flatly.

"I don't believe you." Snapped the guard, raising his gun.

"Oh but you should, and you are going too."

Both men's eyes seemed to glaze over and in a trance they walked into the next room. As soon as they were out of sight, the boy dashed out of the building. He grabbed his bike that was parked in a bush and biked quickly to a near by diner.

Inside it was smoky and noisy, but he didn't care, he was looking for some one.

He then saw her, sitting in a corner booth, a blue sweatshirt on, the hood covering her face. The teen walked over and sat down.

"Hello Sarah."

"Its Marina."

"As you wish. Did you get it?" asked Marcus.

"Yeah I got it. Everything went smoothly. Tell Patrick I'm free if he has need of me." Said Marina, hading a white envelope to the teen, who put it in his bag.

"How'd it go for you Marc?"

"It went alright, a few guards showed up, nothing I couldn't handle. I have to go."

"Marcus, we deserve more, lets take what's ours." Marina swept the hood off her and looked the younger boy in the face.

Marcus looked her in the eye. He loved her so much, even if she was four years older. One day he would be an adult, and then he would marry her.

"Lets do it then."

Marina pulled her hood back up and together they walked out to her car. She was after all eighteen, and eligible to drive; they would pick up Marcus' bike later.

She drove her car to an old building. It was used mostly for creating machinery, but its back rooms had other uses.

Together they walked quietly down a hall. Marcus left Marina out side the door, and entered into one of those back rooms where three men were sitting.

"Hello freak," said an ugly red headed man.

"I'm not a freak Patrick, I'm your cousin."

"You're a freak," said Patrick decisively.

"Do you have the stuff for us?" asked another man.

"Yes."

"Well give it here."

"No. I want to be paid more."

" You shouldn't be paid at all you mutant scum, now give the bag over."

Marcus looked slowly into the face of every man.

"No money, no discs." Marcus turned and ran quickly out of the room.

"Get him!" screamed one of the men.

Marcus ran down a hallway the three men chasing after him.

"Hey you!" screamed Marina, jumping up. Two of the men turned and screamed as Marina shot blasts of water from her hands.

Marcus ran into a room. It was filled with many pieces of machinery, used for making more machinery. Marcus was standing fifteen feet above all this on a metal surveillance platform.

Patrick banged into the room, with teeth clenched and anger burning through him. "Give the bag over, you little twit.

Marcus looked nervously over at Patrick, and began to back away. He read his cousins mind only when it was to late. Patrick lunged forward and yanked the bag from the teenage. Unfortunately, Marcus was standing so close to the edge that he fell over the safety railing.

Marcus Brown, with wide eyes fell to the metal ground. Patrick swore, and ran out of the room, clutching the bag to his chest. The three men re-grouped and ran from the building as quickly as possible.

Marina stayed above, staring down at her friend for a long time. Silent tears fell down her cheeks, but she immediately absorbed them again. Finally she turned, and walked out of the building.

It wasn't until two days later, did some one find the broken, dead body of a pale boy, blood soaked into his gray clothing.

* * *

I don't know why I was awake again tonight. Last night was hard enough, but two nights in a row was torture. I was about to pour myself a drink, when I heard a splash from the pool.

I quickly set my glass down and ran out back to where the pool was, surrounded by outdoor lights.There was defiantly some one underneath the water.

"Hey!" I called. I really didn't jump in the water, some times I accidentally froze it when I was swimming, I didn't want that to happen.

The person in the water surfaced. It was Marina. When she saw me she smiled and put her arms on the edge of the pool.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." I said. What kind of person would go for a swim at two in the morning?

" Water doesn't sleep." She said sadly.

"And I suppose you are water?"

"That I am my boy, that I am." She said with a swell of pride.

Her head disappeared under the water, and swam to the other end of the pool and back, not coming up for air. When she appeared again, I thought she would gasp for air, but she just smiled at me again.

"So Bobby, tell me about yourself." She said. It felt almost like a command. I couldn't think of much to say so I just shrugged. "I'm an ice mutant."

"Awesome, Ice is made of water you know. That's why you knew I was in the classroom this morning. Ice and Water have strong connections."

I nodded. That was why I felt that way around her. "So are you going to join the classes?" I asked, hoping she would.

"I'm not that young. If anything, I'll be teaching classes."

"Why? How old are you?"

Marina giggled and dunked under water. "Thirty-one," she said, when surfacing.

"How do you look so young?" I asked. I would never have thought she was even in here twenties.

"I'll tell you once I get out of here. Help me out please." Marina stuck her arms out for me to pull. I walked over and grabbed both hands, tugging her out of the water.

To my amazement, when I got her out, she had a full mermaids tail from her waist down. Her tail was a bluey grin colour, which matched her blue tank top.

"Didn't expect to see that did you now," she asked, grinning at my look of astonishment. There before my eyes, here tail disappeared, and was replaced with the pair of blue jeans she had been wearing before. Not only that, but she was completely dry, not a drop of water on her.

She winked at me and stood up, pulling on a blue sweater that had been sitting on a lawn chair. We walked into the kitchen and I poured myself a drink.

"So Bobby, when did you first realize you were a mutant?"

"When I was fourteen. I accidentally froze some of the water when I was in the bath."

"That's good." Replied Marina.

This made me angry. "How can becoming a mutant be 'good'?"

"What I mean was, that it was good you discovered it in private. I was fourteen when I discover my mutation as well, but it was in public. I had to go through life the extra hard way because of it." Marina hadn't said this harshly, but I sensed she didn't want to talk about the subject anymore.

We talked about small things for the next to ours, and suddenly I felt tired, and yawned.

"Alright, go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning." Marina kissed me on the forehead and sat back down. I had nothing to do but follow her command, and go back to my bed.


	7. Studied

**7. Studied **

Rogue sat on the bench in the backyard, listening to the David in her head brag about his love life. Rogue wished more than anything to shut here x-boyfriend up, but that was hopeless, he went on jabbering. Or until Marina showed up that is. She wandered slowly over until she was standing right beside Rogue.

"Hey can I sit there?" asked Marina, pointing the vacant place on the bench. Rogue just nodded and continued to stare out at the other kids playing on the lawn. "If you didn't act so dejected you might actually make friends," said Marina. Rogue looked up with startled eyes, she should have felt insulted, but this blue-garbed woman was telling the truth.

"I don't get along with people."

"I bet you do get along, you just haven't tried."

Rogue turned and faced Marina angrily. "I can't touch people, if I touch them they get hurt. I can't be with people so there isn't any point in _trying_ to be with them." She snapped.

"I see." Was all Marina said. She looked over at Rogue and her long gloves. Reaching slowly over, Marina touched Rogue's cheek.

The younger girl flinched but stayed where she was, shocked that she hadn't absorbed any of Marina's powers. When Marina pulled her hand away, she left a small damp mark on Rogue's cheek.

"How'd you do that?" asked Rogue.

" Not much can effect water can it? It has no skin to absorb." Said Marina with a kind smile. "What's your name?"

"Rogue."

"What's your real name?" pried Marina.

"What's yours?" asked Rogue with a glare.

"Now what makes you think Marina isn't my real name?"

"Don't play with me. A girls names doesn't just _happen_ to be named Marina Ocean and then her mutation suddenly gives her the power of water."

"My name used to Sarah Jane." Said Marina, no look of amusement in her face.

"I used to be Marie."

Marina smiled and held out a hand to Rogue. They shook hands and then sat quietly again, watching the children play.

"Eric tells me you are good friends with Mystique." Said Rogue suddenly. Marina looked startled and eyes the other girl.

"You know Eric then?"

"No, he kidnapped me once and he touched me. Now I have some of his thoughts in my head, that's all. But you avoided my question, are you and Mystique friends?"

"Its no secret, yes we are."

"Why?"

Marina shrugged. "I dunno. We both like blue."

* * *

I sat quietly staring out my window, waiting for him to appear. For the last few days, John would come and only before dawn would he step out and face me.

I don't know why I didn't report him; I knew he was up to no good. But that John in my head told me that he would do nothing to harm me.

I thought about the day, and about what Marina had told me, how Marina had touched me. It felt great to be touched by someone and not feel his or her energy flowing into me.

It was nice to be touched and not make things more complicated, though I wouldn't mind carrying Marina in my head for a time. She would have been an interesting person to hear about.

I'm interesting grumbled Eric.

I rolled my eyes and looked out my window again. A person walked out into the open but it was too early for John. It was the person I had been thinking about, the mysterious girl in blue.

Marina looked up at me and waved. She walked away, and a few minutes later I heard a car driving away. I wondered where she was going, but if she hadn't made her leaving a secret, then it probably hadn't been anything important.

I had told Marina about my lack of sleep. I don't know why I did; but she just seemed like someone who knew how to keep quiet. Marina said that I should sleep more, that I shouldn't take the gift of sleep for granted.

I lay down in bed and was surprised by how soft it was, I had become used to sleeping on the window seat. The bed seemed so soft that I could barley keep my head straight, I couldn't even hear the people in my head. There was only peace.

My eyes snapped open. The clock by my side read 7am and the other girls in the room where running around, getting ready for school. I climbed out of bed and followed suit.

I glanced out the window, wishing that I had been able to see John, but I didn't regret sleeping. Something white stuck to a tree caught my attention and I looked out at it. It must have been a piece of paper, but I couldn't be sure.

I glanced at my watch. I had just enough time to get outside and still make it for breakfast. I ran down the hall way and out the back doors to the forest. There stuck in a piece of loose bark was a folded piece of paper. I snatched it out and quickly unfolded it with my gloved hands.

_Rogue,_

_I missed you last night. You are what makes my work tolerable. I want to see you again. Meet me out here at 1am Saturday night._

_Pyro_

I looked down at thee paper wondering what he meant by 'your what makes my work tolerable'.

You know what he means said the John in my head He signed his name as 'Pyro'

"No, he is John."

* * *

Marina drove up to the factory building. It was dark outside, but a small stream of light could be seen shining through the cracks of the door.

Her message had told her to meet at this address at 2am, and it was just coming up to two now.

She walked up to the metal door and knocked it. I big man pulled it open and let her in. When he had locked the door securely, he led Marina into a small room with a table in the center. A blond haired man sat there, smiling. Marina immediately noticed the ring of guards lining the room.

"Welcome Miss Ocean."

"Who are you?" Marina asked gruffly.

" I am known simply as Ken."

"Fine. What do you want with me?" Marina asked, She didn't like it when people beat around the bush for a while before actually getting to business.

"Well Ms. Ocean, it has been know that you are a neutral worker, helping both good and bad. It has also been heard that you have built connections with Charles Xavier, founder of the school for so called 'gifted' youngsters."

"So? "

"I don't want anything with the school, I just want to talk with Xavier for a bit. I was wondering if you would retrieve him for me."

Marina studied Ken quietly. She wasn't stupid; he wanted more than just to 'talk' with the Professor. She also may play both sides, but she would never do anything to put Charles and his children in danger.

"Sorry, I can't do it for you." Marina turned, and began to walk for the door.

Ken nodded at one of the guards, who quickly whacked her on the back of her head with his gun. Marina crumpled limply onto the floor. Ken stood up and looked down at her.

"Get her into the car."

* * *

I woke up to a sharp pain in the back of my head. I reached up and touched the sore spot. There was a large lump there that hurt whenever I touched it. Without thinking, I morphed into water and then back to human again, my bump perfectly healed up.

"Interesting," said a mans voice.

I turned around and saw three white robed people looking in on me. I realized that I was in cage! It was a very odd one too. The first ¾ was made of glass, with two metal covered holes at the bottom, and every where above the glass was the normal metal a cage is usually made out of, except there were bars of electricity surrounding the outside of it.

"Fill the tank Pete, commanded the oldest looking man.

Other than him, there was a younger man named Pete and a very ugly woman who I could have mistaken for a man if not for her bodily features, which were quite pathetic I might add.

The two holes at the bottom of the tank began to shoot water out of them. Soon the tank was filled as far as the glass reached, and I swam, treading water.

"Change into that tail I hear you have," said the oldest man.

"Say please," I said grumpily.

"Please."

"Nope, sorry." I knew I was taking my chances with being rude to the man who was holding me captive.

"Fine," hissed the man. He turned to a bored of switches and flicked one on.. From the holes where the water had come from, huge jolts of electricity came shooting through the water. I screamed in pain as it jolted through my body, I couldn't not escape it. The man switched the electricity off and walked back to me.

"Change into your tail."

He didn't have to tell me again, I quickly morphed into my tail, and swam under water where I wouldn't have to listen to him. All the doctor people inspected me through the glass, and began scribbling notes down on their clipboards.

I just closed my eyes and lay on the bottom of the tank. They found the fact that I didn't have gills yet I didn't need to come up for air something fascinating.

I lay there for some time, trying to relax, and zoning out from the world around me. When I opened my eyes, only the backlights were on and the doctors were gone for the night. I surfaced and looked around the room.

To my left was the horrible switch board, and to my right was a big cage, its captive staring at me with big yellow eyes. I wasn't sure in the lighting, but he looked to have green skin and hair.

"Hi," I said, leaning against the grating of my cage. I knew if I tried to water morph through it, I would just be electrocuted again. I didn't want to experience that again for a long time.

" 'ello." He said flatly. He lay down on the floor as if going to sleep.

"Where am I?"

"Mutant experimentation and studying lab, couldn't you tell?" The mutant was a Brit and very grumpy one at that. I guess it was because he hadn't gotten his daily dose of tea. I heard English men (and women) lived on that stuff. Well I preferred Coffee.

"What's your name? How did you get here?"

The mutant sat up and glared at me. "Can't I get some sleep?"

"Nope, not until you answer my questions." I said.

" I'm Toad. I got hurt and these people found me floating in the water. They healed me up then stuffed me in this blasted cage for testing. Now please let me get some sleep!" Toad lay back down and rolled over so his back was to me.

"Well I'm Marina. Goodnight."

I swam back under the water and began to swim around. I was going to have a boring night ahead of me.

**.... Whooh that chapter took me some time. I nearly DID have a heart attack when i was told a second time that Ray Park would be in x3. Does anyone know a website where i can read that? Thanks to everyone who's reviewed my last few chapters!**


	8. Thin Air

**8. Thin Air**

At the mansion, people questioned Marina's disappearance, but Scott and the Professor explained that Marina liked to go off on her own; she would show up again soon.

This answer satisfied everyone but Bobby, who had a very un-comfortable feeling about it all. He kept glancing out the window and listening for cars on the drive, but she didn't return.

" Bobby, please pay attention," Called Storm from the front of the class.

Bobby turned back to his work, but the uncomfortable feeling was still there. Last night he had a dream, and in it Marina had screamed for Xavier not to come looking for her. Bobby wasn't sure what she had meant by it, but he knew one thing for sure, that her scream was one of pain and that it was for real.

Rogue tried to distract herself all day. It was very hard not to think about John and his note. She was staring blankly at the TV when Bobby came and sat down beside her. He had been acting strange and looking very nervous all day.

"_That's because he is nervous,"_ said the Bobby in her head. _"Ask him why."_

"What's wrong Bobby?" asked Rogue.

"I'm just worried about Marina. I think something really bad has happened to her." Said Bobby.

Rogue studied Bobby; she figured that he just had a really big crush on this new woman.

"You heard what the professor said. She always does stuff like this."

"I know, but I have a feeling that it is different this time. I'm going to look in her room, you coming?" Bobby stood up and headed out of the room. Rogue glanced at Bobby's retreating figure, and then to the TV set. She quickly flicked off, and scurried to catch up with him.

Marina's room looked like every other room in the mansion, accept there were clothes strewn across the bed, no one had obviously slept there. As Bobby searched around the room, Rogue looked at the clothing. There was a lot of cool clothing and quiet a few bathing suits and to her surprise, not all of it was blue.

"Hey Rogue, come here." Rogue quickly went to where Bobby was standing.

He held two pieces of paper in his hand. The first said:

_I have a job proposal for you._

_25 Grande St. _

_2:00 am / tomorrow night_

I saw her leave that n-" Both teens stared down at the other paper shocked.

_Bobby,_

_I knew you would be the first to grow worried and come into my room. We understand each other that way._

_If I have been gone long enough for you to come in here, then things have not gone as planned. I have probably been taken by force. I would ask you personally not to come and get me, but please inform the x-men of my situation._

_Marina Ocean_

"I guess I better tell them than." Said Bobby quietly

"Yeah," agreed Rogue.

They both ran out of the room and headed for the professors office.

"Come in you two." The professor called as they knocked on his door.

Bobby and Rogue showed the professor their discovery, and he quickly sent for his x-men.

* * *

"Where do you think they've taken her?" asked Logan.

"I don't know, but I will go look for her in cerebrum. All of you may go, I'll call you if I find anything."

The x-men filed slowly out of the room. Rogue was last to leave, and when no one was looking, she picked up the first piece of paper and tucked it into her pocket.

I quietly opened my bedroom door and slipped out. It was five minutes until I would meet John at the forest edge. Logan's voice told me that I should stay in my room, but I locked him and all the voices away. I would keep them locked there until I was back in the house.

I managed to stumble in the dark to where I had found the note only this morning.

"John?" I called quietly.

As an answer John lit a ball of fire a few meters away, showing his face, and then put it out again. I walked quietly over to where he was and he led me a bit farther into the woods.

"Hey," I said, stepping face to face with him.

" Hey. Look Rogue I'm real sorry."

"For w-"

Johns hand shot out and I felt a sting as a needle stuck into the side of my neck. My vision began to get fuzzy as I stared into the darkness, and then I fell to the floor, all was black.

-------

I don't know how long I had been out, but some time later I felt the hard floor beneath me, and heard muffled voices close by. As I lay there, my hearing began to clear up.

"Are sure that stuff was safe? I mean she's been out for an hour," said John...or was he Pyro?

"Its fine, she'll wake up any moment," came a woman's voice.

I slowly opened my eyes and let them focus.

"There you see," said the woman triumphantly. John's face then hovered above me.

"Hey Rogue, how you feeling?"

"I would have said 'fine' if you hadn't stuck a freaking needle in my neck!" I glared at John as I sat up rubbing my neck. I looked around the room I was in.

Sitting in a chair near by was Mystique, she had been the woman I had heard speaking. We were in a bedroom, minus the bed. There were also no windows anywhere.

"You could have just asked me to come, it would have been less painful," I said.

"But would you have come?" asked Mystique.

"No."

Mystique smiled and began to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" I called. The blue woman turned back to me, her eyebrows raised in questioning. " Marina is missing, someone has taken her." Mystiques features softened slightly and she walked back to where I was laying.

"Where is she?"

"The professor couldn't find her. But this is where she went." I reached into my pocket and held it out.

"Okay." Mystique snatched the paper from my hands and walked out of the room. I wondered if she would do anything.

I was beginning to have major headache from keeping the voices back, so I let them roam loose again.

"_Ah I see we have got you again. I wonder what use we want you for this time." _Said Eric.

"Shut up." I snapped, massaging my temples.

"What?" asked John startled. He was unaware that I had any voices. He probably thought I was talking to him. Normally I would find this funny, but I was really stressed right now.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"So you just decided to yell 'shut up' to thin air?" asked John

"Yep. I talk to myself a lot these days, but you wouldn't know that since you didn't stick around long enough."

"I hated that place," said John flatly.

He walked out of the room and locked the door behind him. Although he had brushed my comment off, I knew it had bugged him, and his had bugged me right back.

* * *

Well the next day was just like the first. The doctors all came in and studied me. They would then give me a break and go prod and poke Toad for awhile, and when they were done, they would come right back and do the same thing to me.

Toad did a lot of resisting to the men, but I would just stay still and let them do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't hurt too much. I didn't want to be electrocuted again.

We both got a half hour breather when the doctors went on lunch break at noon. Toad moped around in his cage, rubbing his sore body as he swore at the doctors.

"If you didn't struggle with them so much they wouldn't hurt you as badly," I commented through my cage.

Toad glared at me with his gold eyes. I wasn't sure if I found those eyes of his intimidating or capturing. "I like to put up a fight. It shows I'm still livin, not some dumb test rat. That's opposite of you of course."

" I don't enjoy being electrocuted for fun thank you very much. And you wouldn't like it either if it ever happened to you," I snapped.

"Who says it 'asn't? The bloody weather witch's lightning is the reason I was picked up by these creeps."

I swam backwards a smiling slightly. I had always known Toad had been with the brotherhood, but I had never been told how he had been dispersed of. Storm wouldn't be too happy to learn he was still living, nor would she like the name he called her.

The doctors began to come back in again. They all pulled on rubber gloves and began to circle Toads cage. The leader of the bunch unlocked the lid, and another stuck in a medal pole (like the ones the pound use to capture stray dogs) and began to try and hook Toad into it. It took some time, but finally he had the wire secure around the struggling Toad's neck.

They then dragged him out, and were going to put a dog muzzle on his face, but it was too late. Toad's tongue came flying out of his mouth, lashing at anything he could get at.

Doctors and their equipment went flying around the room. I watched as the doctor, Pete, reached out and pushed the security alarm. Swiftly, 4 guards ran into the room and pointed their guns at the escapee.

Toad froze, and a doctor behind him got to his feet and swung a pan at his head. Toad fell limply to the ground, knocked on conscious.

The guards left the room again, and the doctors scooped up their specimen and carried him up the ramp to the door of my cage. They dropped him through the opening, and he splashed into the water, sinking to the bottom, four meters below.

I quickly dove under and grabbed Toad, dragging him above the water again. I morphed back into my jean-garbed legs and wrapped them around his waist, draping his arms over each of my legs. I then grabbed onto the side of the cage with both of my hands.

Toads head was barley above the water, but it was high enough for him too be able to breath. Judging by his webbed hands, he could swim just fine, but I would have to wait until he gained consciousness again.

**....Thats my super long chapter for now. A lot of people are asking when Bobby will discover Marina is his mother. Now i origionaly planned that he never find out(to make things more interesting) but when i told my sister and best friend that idea...well lets say they wern't to happy about it. So I really am getting to Bobby's discovery, but that will all come in my own time.**

**Luv ya! Review!**


	9. Lack of Humor

**

* * *

Hey! Its been sometimes but i am back and with th worst writers block you can imagine. **

**My sister pointed out to me that in the last chapter, i say the doctor hits Toad with a pan. I make it sound like its a cooking frying pan, but i ment one of those surgical tray thingers...but if you want it to be a frying pan, feel free to believe that it is.**

****

**9****. Lack of Humor**

A selected few of the x-team were down below getting into their leather suits. The professor had been un-able to find Marina, but they did still have the address. Or at least they remembered what the address had been; no one had been able to find the piece of paper when they later returned to the office.

Storm and Logan were the lucky two, sent to check out the place where Marina had gone, and at his personal request, Bobby was to go with them. The professor understood that he and Marina had linked emotions, and knew that her disappearance made him uncomfortable.

Bobby couldn't help feeling even more uncomfortable as he walked onto the jet. Last time he had been in there Rogue had fallen out of the aircraft, and the jet itself was falling out of the sky.

"You buckled in back there?" called Storm.

"Yes," replied Logan from behind. Bobby was sitting in the copilot chair beside Storm, since Logan really didn't like flying.

The basketball court opened up and the jest flew out and up into the early morning air.

* * *

I sat in the empty bedroom doing nothing. No one had been in to see me since last night when John had walked out last night, angry at me for making a good point.

I was beginning to go out of my mind, not no why I was hear or how long I would be here for.

"Okay your going to tell me what is going on," I ordered the Eric in my head.

"_My dear, I only know that of the past. I can never tell you what I know of the future unless I speak with you face to face."_

"Then come make yourself face me!"

"_That would be rude to interrupt him, he is talking to John you know."_

"ERIC!"

"_Alright, Alright, he's coming, but I had to give him a huge headache to do it."_

I jumped to my feet and straightened my clothing and hair. If I was to be seen by my enemy, I wanted to look like he hadn't done anything to effect me. Eric walked in moments later, massaging his aching forehead, but still he had his chest puffed out proudly.

"Welcome back to the brotherhood. I see you have still done nothing with your hair. Don't worry, we'll do something with it...or with you."

"You can't scare me," I said, glaring at the old man.

"You can not scare me either." He said, trying to look superior.

"I'm not surprised. Nothing can scare you after what they did to you in Auschwitz."

Magneto's mouth opened and for a moment he really did look more like an old man than a leader.

"How do you know of this?" he asked.

"You didn't think about what touching me would share did you? I have you in my head Eric and I know everything of your past." I said to him. It probably wasn't best to reveal my knowledge of him, but I was mad at him for taking me again.

"I'm sorry my dear," said Magneto finally. "No one should ever see what I have seen in my life. But it does put my heart at rest. If you should maybe die, I would not feel bad about putting your memories to rest."

"Maybe die?"

"We need your help, but it will be hard to make you do anything by force. We would not harm Charles, it has to do with an anti-mutant protestor named Ken." Said Eric. He looked honest enough so I decided I would like to know more.

"So what do you need me for?"

"I will tell you when the time comes. But right now you must tell me whether or not you will join the brotherhood for this one mission."

I realized that my mouth was hanging open, and I quickly shut it. I couldn't believe that someone like Magneto would actually 'ask' for help. Usually he would just make a person help him by some way of force or another.

"_He's in desperate times methinks."_

"Okay, we'll see," I replied flatly.

"Good. I'm afraid you can't be released quite yet. But we can move you to a more comfortable room."

Eric led me out of the room and down the hall to another room, but this one had a bed in it. Eric left, locking the door behind him.

I glanced at the clock by the bed. It was 5:00am; no one would know I was missing yet. I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. If I really was about to go on some mission then I would need all the rest I could get.

* * *

I swam around at one edge of my tank, and Toad clung to the edge at the other side. He hadn't been too pleased to wake up and find himslef in the same cage as me, so we kept our distance.

Toad kept trying to find ways of getting out, like yelling that he had to go too the bathroom, but the doctors didn't believe him. When he kept yelling the same excuse, I told him that if he went to the bathroom in MY water tank, I would drown him.

Finally the doctors prepared to leave for the night, so they let Toad go to the bathroom. They made me muzzle and put the cord around him before they pulled him out. When they brought him back in again, I was very annoyed that they pushed him right back into my tank again.

"Goodnight Freaks!" called Pete. (A/N haha sort of like what Count Olaf says.) We just both glared at him, and he flicked off the lights and locked the door.

"Bloody 'ell, there is no way I'm gonna sleep tonight." Moaned Toad.

"I thin-" I stopped speaking as Toad glared at me with his haunting yellow eyes. I dived underneath the water, and feeling that his eyes were still on me, I decided to shake him up a little.

Without warning I morphed into water. This left Toad alone in a tank of water, unsure of where I actually was in it. I could see him look around himself, startled.

I drifted slowly towards him, and when I was only inches away, I splashed up into his face and morphed into a mermaid again. Toad yelpd and wasted no moment before glaring fiercely at me, trying to get over his embarrassment. "Don't do that!"

"I'm sorry I scared you," I said, looking innocent.

"You didn't scare me!" Toad shouted, obviously very annoyed with me.

"Then why did you scream?"

"I was just clearing my voice."

That was the worst excuse I had ever heard and he knew it too. I began to roll around in the water laughing, not that it was that funny, but it was sure to whip him up.

"Hey, cut it out!" Toad leapt from his end of the cage and landed on top of me. I wasn't sure whether in his mind he was just playing, or he actually thought he could drown me.

As we wrestled around in the water I sure hoped that he thought this was fun (like I was thinking) because otherwise I would be dealing with a psychotic.

Suddenly the overhead lights in the lab flicked on, and we both froze, our hands wrapped around each other's necks.

An icy and very familiar laugh floated across the lab, and I quickly let go of my opponent's neck and swam to the edge.

"It's about time girl, where have you been?" I called out. The female police officer grinned and walked smoothly over to the cage.

"Hello Marina. My, my, and look who is with you. We all thought you were dead."

"Mystique?" asked Toad in wonder.

"Good guess." Mystique didn't change her appearance because of the security cameras. She walked over to the switch bored and studied all the controls for a moment.

I thought she would take forever, but finally she reached out and switched one of the controls. Instantly the electricity rim of my cage flashed off.

I quickly morphed into water and slid through thee grate of the upper cage. Mystique was standing beside me, and I morphed human again and gave her a hug.

"Great to see you girl," she said, giving me a hug right back. She put an arm over my shoulder and together we began to walk to the door.

"Hey!" called Toad.

We both stopped and looked at each other smiling. Toad kept yelling curses at us until we walked back and unlocked the cage for him. He came out swearing all the more...I was really beginning to believe that this guy had no sense of humor at all.

* * *

The jet landed some ways away from the warehouse. From there, the trio made their way slowly into the building.

"It's very quite," said Bobby, as they walked cautiously down a hall.

"Yeah," agreed Logan.

They walked into a room and suddenly Logan stiffened and began to sniff the air around him.

"What is it?" Storm asked, looking nervously around the room.

Logan opened his mouth to reply, but the door burst open, and three men with guns entered. Logan's claws sliced out of his hands, and Storms eyes went white, all forms of colour bleached out.

Before they could do anything though, the guards stood before them, frozen in ice. Storm and Logan looked over their shoulder at Iceman, who just gave a small smile and shrugged.

"Show off," Logan muttered, as he led them out of the building. They couldn't help but feel sad and annoyed, their missions had been a failure.

**...how was that? Wait don't answer that. Last time i got an honest answer that my writing was bad it made me depressed and gave me a writes block...i took the reviewers review as truth. Ah well, i'll improve one day. I really do love reviews anyway.**


	10. Emotional Girls

**10. Emotional Girls**

"I need a bubble bath," said Marina, leaning back in the passenger's seat.

"Bloody 'ell girl! You've just spent the last week in a tub o' watah and now you want more?" exclaimed Toad from the back.

Mystique and Marina both made snorting noises, and Toad moved to the corner of his seat, extremely annoyed with the two women.

"So how did you know where to get me?"

"Little Miss Skunk Stripes told me you were taken," replied Mystique.

"Skunk stripes? Do you mean Rogue?" Asked Marina, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"The very one." They drove on in silence as Marina frowned out the window. She knew that the brotherhood had taken Rogue again, and she was trying to stem her anger. Mystique may be her friend, but she could sure be immature sometimes.

* * *

I lay back in my seat, extremely tired. I was glad I would be let off school for the day; I was too tired from the mission to feel like working. When we stepped out of the jet, Professor Xavier was waiting for us, a concerned look on his face.

"What's wrong Professor?" asked Storm, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's Rogue, she's missing." I let out a sigh. Why she was the one who always got taken, I don't know, but it made everyone very tense, especially Logan.

"Have you looked for her," asked Logan.

"Yes, and I can't find her anywhere. I strongly suspect that Eric has something to do with this."

With both Rogue and Marina missing, things were pretty chaotic around the mansion. At least with Marina, we could say she just went out for awhile, with Rogue it was harder to hide the truth.

The Professor decided that the kids had a right to know of her disappearance and announced it to the kids. When Kitty and Jubilee started crying and hugging each other, I thought I would be sick.

I hope the Professor wasn't considering making those two X-Men…or women, because they defiantly couldn't handle stressful moments. It's so like girls to cry about something instead of taking action.

Well Kitty and Jubilee decided to become vegetarians until Rogue was found, but since they only ate Tofu hamburgers and hotdogs any way, it made no difference than before Rogue had left. Dinner was quiet until a phone shattered the wall of silence. No one wanted to answer the darn phone, and unfortunately, I was the one sitting closest to it so I had to get it.

"Hello?"

"Uh Hey," came a nervous voice from the other end.

"Rogue?"

"Yeah it's me." I couldn't believe it was her. Why was she calling? Had they let her go?

"Ro-"

"Just listen to me. This is Bobby right?"

"Yeah."

"Kay. I just wanted you to know that I've left on my own free will, and I'll be back soon. Oh and Marina is here as well, so don't you worry about her either."

"Marina's with you. Where a-"

I didn't finish my sentence before there was a click on the line…Rogue had hung up.

* * *

Rogue looked at the telephone that she had just hung up. If she had talked to Bobby for to long she might have changed her mind about helping the brotherhood.

"Who did you reach?" asked Mystique from across the room.

"Bobby."

"He your kid, Rina?" said Mystique turning to Marina. The water angel gave a small nod, no emotion displayed on her face.

"What do you mean Marina's 'kid'?" asked Rogue.

"So how long do you think this mission will take?" asked Marina, ignoring Rogue.

Mystique shrugged, and sat down in a chair. Rogue would have demanded to know more, but just then Magneto came in, John close on his heels.

"Hello your worship," Said Marina, sarcastically.

For the first time, Magneto noticed Marina.

"Oh no. Not you. Mystique, I thought you had decided not to make friends with trash," Said Eric, glaring at Marina.

"I agree, I was about to ask Misty why she was still with you."

Toad and Rogue both snickered at this, but where shut up by a fierce look from Magneto.

Marina put her feet up on the table and grinned, she had won this battle. Eric wasn't about to kick her out, he was after Ken, and she had interacted with him. He had to admit that she was valuable to the brotherhood.

* * *

"I don't see why I gotta help you catch some git named after Barbie's boyfriend," complained Toad. He had been whining ever since he had been put into the car, and was getting on my nerves.

I looked at Rogue, who was sitting quietly beside the green man. I felt guilty for injecting her in the forest, I really didn't like seeing needles, let alone using them, so I have no clue how I managed to get her in the right place.

"What are you looking at?" Rogue looked up to see me staring, and was glaring at me. I guess she hadn't forgiven me for my trick.

"Nothing," I said, looking out my window. I was the third person in the backseat. Mystique and her gorgeous friend were up front, talking quietly to one another. Mags was somewhere, working on his marvelous plan, he didn't have to be squished in the backseat of a crummy old car.

Mystiques friend turned around in her seat and looked me in the eyes. I rapidly began to feel nervous, as though her blue eyes were burning into me.

"Are you telepathic?" The woman's gaze broke and she smiled a beautiful sunny smile.

"Nope. I'm Marina Ocean."

"Pyro," I said, taking her outstretched hand.

"Nice to meet you Pyro. So have you worked for that Old Bag of Snot for long?"

I couldn't help but grin. Marina really didn't like Magneto and she made no effort to hide it.

" 'bout a month."

"Where were you before that?"

I saw Rogue glance at me and quickly look away. "I was at Xavier's."

"Ah." Marina glanced at Rogue and then turned back to face forward.

I looked at the back of Marina's head for awhile, but soon turned to stare out the window instead.

I tried to focus on something in order to drain out Toad's grumbling, which he continued to do for the next hour. He finally shut up when Rogue fell asleep, her head drooping onto his shoulder. It was obvious that Toad didn't like having her there, but he wouldn't do anything to wake her up.

I tried not to look in her direction, wishing that it was my shoulder she was leaning on instead.

....there i updated! are you happy Muse? :D I am. I'll try to update again soon.


	11. Bean Bag

**Another chapter! I have taken one of my reviewer's (i can't remember which one because i have a short attention span. Yes you can slap my hand with a ruler for that crime) ideas and i've started to tell who's point of view we are reading. **

**Also to a very old question which i never bothered to answer. I call Cerebrum, Cerebro because for some reason that name is locked into my mind as a default and i write it by accident lol**

**Enjoy!**

**11. Bean Bag**

Third Person 

When the car finally pulled up to a building two hours later, no one new where they were, exccept for Mystique and Marina, but they didn't bother telling the others.

"You wanna strike the deal?" Marina asked, leaning against the cement wall.

"Sure," said Mystique, "Come on." Mystique motioned for Rogue to follow her, and together they went into the building.

"What deal are they making?" asked John.

"Just a deal," said Marina. She pulled a box of cigarettes and a lighter from her purse. She flicked open the lighter and put her cigarette to the flame, looking at Pyro the whole time.

Every time she inhaled the smoke, she would blow it out towards Pyro, as if she was trying to play with him, daring him to light her on fire. He wouldn't burn her though, she was unburnable, she was water for goodness sakes.

"So what _kind _of deal are they making?"

"Theah dealin cards," muttered Toad.

"If they were dealing cards then I wouldn't have volunteered to wait out here," replied Marina, winking at Toad.

Toad made a face at Marina, but when she offered him a cigarette his face smoothed over and he took one. Marina chucked him her lighter, and he lit up.

John looked mischievously over at Toad- who was unaware of Pyro's powers- but Marina gave him a warning look, one that he wouldn't disobey.

Rogue's POV

I followed Mystique-who now looked like a middle aged European woman- into the building, wondering what I had got myself into. I hadn't seen anything to worry me yet, but I just had one of those 'feelings'. I couldn't hear anyone in my ahead; it was almost like they were hiding until this was all over.

"Don' spek 'less dey go an' spek ta ya foist," said Mystique, with a strange accent. We walked down a small hallway with faded red carpet on the floor. A door stood ajar, smoke and voices drifting out. Mystique shoved the door open and walked in.

" 'ello genteelmein."

The men had been gathered around a table playing cards, but quickly stopped when we entered in.

"Aleen, good to see you again," said a thin man. "I see you have brought a beautiful friend with you." I almost rolled my eyes, but managed to stop myself.

"Yah , dis is Isabella," said Mystique/ Aleen, waving her hand at me.

The thin man kissed my hand and winked. This made me sick to my stomach, but I didn't wipe my gloved hand off, if we were to strike a deal with these guys then it would be best not to make them angry.

"Guys, where are your manners? Give these women seats!"

Two men immediately offered us chairs. I'm not sure how I looked, but Aleen slipped into her chair as if she was around these guys every day.

"So Aleen, darling, what can old Bean Bag do for you?" asked the thin man. From the way he said that, I guess he was 'old bean bag'. I couldn't imagine why he would have a name like that, and quite frankly, I didn't want to know either.

"Been bahk can tell Aleen where she can find man call Ken," Said Mystique. Bean Bag visibly paled and began wringing his hands nervously.

"I can't do that baby. It is hard to get a trace on Ken. And even if I did, one wrong move and he would be after us."

"s'not goot enough Bean Bahk. Find me where Ken is."

"I can't Aleen."

I'm not sure about Mystique, but it was obvious to me that this guy was keeping something from us, and nothing could bring it out of him. I slowly began to take off by gloves as Mystique continued to argue with Bean Bag. I tucked my gloves into my pocket and stood up.

"I'm sorry you can't help us," I said.

Bean Bag stood up, and Mystique did the same, looking at me curiously.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of serves to you either."

"Well thanks anyway." I held my hand out, and in the corner of my eye I saw a grin form on Aleen's face; she suddenly understood.

"It was a pleasure my dear." Bean Bag took my hand and I tightened by grip and closed my eyes.

I heard Bean Bag choking and felt his memories surging into my head. From when I first touched him, his three men started shouting, but when I was finished with Bean Bag and opened my eyes, all his men were lying on the floor, Mystique back to her normal blueness.

"Well?"

"He's working for Ken."

"I thought so," breathed Mystique, "Come one."

As we headed out of the building I pulled my gloves back on again. I was beginning to regret touching Bean Bag, he had a lot of dirty memories I really didn't want to know about. Thankfully, it was memories like those that I can tuck away so they couldn't be viewed.

Marina's POV

After Mystique and Rogue were finished we all got back into the car and drove to a rented apartment. The apartment had been set up earlier by Mystique. I wonder why that lazy bum Magneto didn't set it up. I'd like to see him do something useful for once.

Rogue was sitting quietly in the corner of the room. Mystique told me what Rogue had done, and I could only imagine what kind of memories and information was shooting through her head. One thing for sure, she hadn't looked happy in the entire time I had seen her with the brotherhood.

Rogue hadn't shared her obtained information yet, we were waiting for Magneto to arrive first. Mystique was out and about and John and Toad were watching TV in the other room. I figured Rogue might want some attention so I walked over to where she was sitting at the table and pulled up a chair.

"Who was that guy? Rogue asked me, her glazed eyes coming back to focus.

"What guy?" I figured Rogue hadn't broken out of her fog yet.

"The one that came with you to the school. The man with the red eyes."

"Oh that was a friend of mine, Remy Lebeau," I said, as I felt a smile pulling at my lips. I couldn't help smiling whenever I thought of the Cajun charmer.

'What are his powers?"

"He can send kinetic energy into objects."

Rogue's eyebrows knitted together, she obviously didn't understand what I meant.

"He can charge items causing them to explode," I rephrased.

"Oh." Rogue looked down at her gloves fingers.

I couldn't begin to visualize how hard it was for her to never be able to touch another human being.

"Do you just want to leave?" Rogue looked up at me, startled by my sudden question. "Do you even want to be with the Brotherhood?"

Rogue closed her eyes and shook her head. The Brotherhood wasn't her place. Strangely, I felt that somehow Xavier's wasn't her place either. Where did she belong?

"Hello brothers," called Magneto, entering the room, with Mystique on his heels like an infatuated puppy.

"Why is it always brothers and never sisters," I muttered.

Magneto shot me a 'look' and strutted over to a chair at the head of the table. Toad and Pyro turned off the TV and gathered around Magneto like he was Santa about to give out free candy. Or it was really more Pyro than Toad. That fire boy sure looked on Magneto as a hero or something. I could never figure out what people saw in him. Mystique thought he was quite manly, but I doubt that man (if you can call him that) had a masculine bone in his entire body.

"So what's the plan?" Toad asked, looking quite bored.

Any person looking uninterested in Magneto's presence earned immediate respect from me, even my grumpy, green, fish tank pal.

"The plan, Toad, depends on what our dear Rogue has to share with us."

"She ain't dear to all of us," Toad muttered under his breath.

If Magneto heard that comment then he chose to ignore it, because he continued to look expectantly at Rogue.

"Ken is in Brooklyn, but you can't get to him there. He has too many friends to protect him. But he does have an emergency number…"

**...okay, it's kind of short and not to interesting, but i already have a bit of the next chapter written and i think it's better...only time will tell.**

**Leh Sundance.**


	12. Firecracker

**...Look! I finally updated. I think you should throw me up in the air while singing 'for she's a jolly good female!'**

**12. Firecrackers **

Third Person

With the information obtained from Rogue, Mystique set about aranging a meeting. Disguising her voice as Bean Bag's, she mad an emergency call to Ken, telling him that they had been attacked by mutants.

Soon after, the Brotherhood and their 'add ons' were ready to see Ken two days from then.

* * *

Rogue's POV

California. I looked out the window; everyone we passed seemed to be showing half the skin on their body. I was wearing my leather gloves and long pants. I had decided to wear a T-shirt for comforts sake, but that left me with a few inches of bare skin. I was hot.

Marina leaned forward and turned on the air conditioning to full. She had long ago taken off her shirt and was sitting comfortable in a blue bathing suit top she had underneath.

"Are we there yet?" Toad asked, shifting in his seat.

"Almost," Mystique replied in her icy voice.

Five minutes later we pulled into an indoor parking lot of a tall business building. I thought it was a stupid move to park in the same building we were to meet Ken in, but why would Bean Bag park else where?

Mystique changed shape so she looked like the dirt man himself. Marina and Mystique were to go up to the office. Toad, John, and I had to keep watch in the parking lot. John wanted to go with them, but there was no way the two professionals would let a junior go with them. Toad, however, was fine where he was. I had the suspicion that just like me, he didn't want to be in the Brotherhood.

John was looking down a hallway and I suddenly realized that I had a chance off escape. Keeping an eye on John I walked slowly towards the parking lot exit. I had almost reached the door when Toad stepped silently in front of me. I was scared, but I stared into his frightening yellow eyes, trying to look tough.

"Please," I whispered.

Toad continued to study me silently, but he broke the gaze to glance over at John. To my surprise, he stepped away from the exit and walked a few feet away, not looking at me again. I pushed the door open and quickly moved down the concrete steps.

What met me on the next landing took my breath away. Five men with guns were standing there, pointing their weapons at me. A sixth man came up behind me and grabbed me around the waist. I don't like being thought of as weak, but at that moment I could think of only one thing to do; I screamed. The door one floor up smashed open and John came down the steps and into view.

"Crap!" he shouted when he saw the men. To my dismay, instead of helping me, he ran back up the stairs.

This meant that the men had to chase him, and they dragged me along with them. I heald my breath with hope. Surly the team had re-grouped and would have enough strength to save me. They had indeed re-grouped, or at least three out of the four had, I couldn't see Marina anywhere.

When Toad saw me, his tongue shot out, striking one of the men, but before he could get any more, John yanked him into the car. Mystique shoved her foot onto the gas pedal and the car shot off, leaving me behind.

* * *

Marina's POV

I smiled with grim satisfaction as I wove through the people on the streets. I always knew Magneto-that old coot- would mess up, and I was proud to be there to see it. Mystique would give me a good talking next time I saw her. She could plainly see that I hadn't done anything to help her out. Of course I'm not a member of their team so she can't really blame me. I entered a mall and found a payphone. It was time to make a collect call.

"Yes?" came an accented voice on the other line.

"Remy, this is Marina."

"Ah. Mon Cherie. How can Remy assist his favorite femme?"

* * *

Rogue's POV

I couldn't believe that I was locked up in another room. This time I was in a phone-less, computer-less, bed-less, office, instead of a phone-less, bed-less, bedroom. I couldn't figure out what had gone wrong, but my best guess was that Ken had been warned that we were coming. I gave up trying to figure that one out and went back to not believe that they had just abandoned me. Even John, the very guy who was implying that he liked me, left me here. Only Toad looked like he was going to give me a hand. By the look of things, they left Marina as well. Was she captured? Dead?

I wandered to the window and looked out. The office was at least ten floors up; there was no way I could get out through there. I turned to the desk and began rummaging through it. Every drawer was empty.

There was a loud bang that sounded like a firecracker had gone off outside the door. It flew open, pieced of broken wood flying across the room. I threw my hands over my head to protect my face. I caught my breath when I looked up and saw who my rescuer was. He stood casually at the door, his red eyes taking me in.

"How?"

"Marina say she needed Remy's help, so I come running. Come now." Remy put a hand on my shoulder and led me out the door way. In the next room, two guards lay on the floor. I wasn't sure if they were alive or not, but I didn't want to stop and find out, I was just happy to be alive myself.


	13. Home?

**Hey all. What are promises really worth? I promised i would update sooner but did i? Noooooooo I figured you all deserved a shouts out at the bottom because you are all being such great sports.**

**13. Home?**

Bobby's POV 

I sat on a lawn chair, watching the delighted children glide by. There had been a demand on ice skating and the Professor asked me if I could satisfy the urge. The kids had been skating on the patch of ice for over an hour now; I would touch it every few minutes to make sure it remained frozen.

"Skating time over!" Scott called. "Thanks Bobby, you can go now."

I nodded and stood up, ready to head in doors. Suddenly my course was changed and I hurried towards the front of the mansion. Some how I knew I would find Marina coming up the driveway.

Sure enough, a taxi cab was driving slowly towards the mansion, Marina sitting in the passenger seat. As she paid the driver, I was surprised to see two other passengers climb out of the back seat. One of them was Rogue, the other was a man I had never met before, he wore dark sun glasses so I couldn't completely see his face. The taxi drove off and Marina swaggered up to me, grinning. I was so surprised and happy to see her and Rogue that I couldn't think of anything to say to them.

"Hey Bobby, so nice of you to come and greet us. I'm sorry, but I don't have any shopping bags for you to carry." Marina winked at me and draped an arm around my shoulder. Not only did she act as though she had never left, Marina acted like I was a really close friend of hers.

"Great to have you ladies back," I managed to say. "I'm Bobby Drake," I said, holding my hand to the man. The man lifted the sun glasses so they rested on his head; his eyes were red.

"Remy LeBeau," he said, gripping my hand and smiling warmly. He had a slight French accent when he spoke.

"The Professor wants to speak with us right now. We'll see you later." Marina led her two companions into the house and to the Professors office. I didn't see any of them again until dinner time. Rogue was sitting at the table, still looking nervous; I guessed she was feelings guilty for just running off like that. I want to find a chance to talk to her later.

* * *

Scott Summers and Marina Ocean sat out in a gazebo on the big green lawn. The sun had set hours ago, the only light coming from the huge yard lamps.

"He missed you," said Scott.

"Who doesn't miss me," Marina joked. Scott smiled but that didn't shatter his serious mood.

"He has a connection to you, 'Rina, you both know it. You have to tell him."

Marina sighed and leaned her elbows on the wooden railing. "What am I supposed to say, Scott? Hey Bobby, I'm your real mother. I was impregnated through my mutation and I decided to just abandon you."

Scott walked over and squeezed Marina's shoulders softly. He was one of the few who knew of Marina's strange mutated pregnancy so early on in life.

"You did the right thing."

"I wish I could believe you," Marina said, turning to face her friend. Tears were filling up in her intensely blue eyes. "I want him back, Scott. I want him to know who I am, but I've waited to long." Marina closed her eyes as two tears slid down her face. Scott pulled Marina too him and held her silently.

* * *

**Rogue's POV**

I kept telling myself that I was home again, but it didn't feel like I was home. I've always enjoyed traveling, even before I was a mutant. I guess I was just destined to never belong anywhere. That's what it was like for Marina. I looked across the room where Marina and Bobby where playing foosball.

Marina's kid.

That was how Mystique had referred to Bobby. When I asked Marina about that, she only evaded the question. I continued to watch the pair play. They were both smiling widely, their smiles very similar.

"Can Remy sit here?" I looked up to see my red eyed rescuer leaning over me.

"Yes," I said quietly. Remy sat himself down beside me, on the empty couch seat.

"Femme is not happy?" Remy asked.

I gave him a cold look. I really didn't like it when people pried into my personal life. Especially men who were practically strangers to me.

"I take this look of extreme annoyance as a 'yes'."

"And I suppose you are happy?"

"Yes. I help Marina and now I am sitting before an Angel. I say Remy has reason to be happy."

I tried to look angry, but quickly turned my face away, trying to hide my blush and smile. When I looked back, Remy was walking out of the room. It annoyed me that he walked away, I don't know why. I stood up and walked quickly in the opposite direction.

* * *

Marina hummed to herself as she walked through a darkened hallway. It was long past midnight and everyone was asleep; mostly everyone. There was always Blink, but he usually stuck to the TV room. At the end of the hall, Marina could see the kitchen light on and knew immediately who she would find within. She decided that he might like some company.

The ice mutant had been pouring himself a cup of chocolate milk and was now pouring more into a second cup, aware of Marina's arrival.

"Hey," said Marina, taking the glass from Bobby. "How you doing?"

"Fine. I just can't sleep."

Marina smiled. Like mother like son. " So you came to the kitchen eh? A very fine place to spend your time." Marina winked at Bobby and sat down.

"How can you stand being awake every day and night of your entire life?" asked Bobby.

"To start, you gotta view it as normal. If you always believe that you _have_ to sleep at nights, it will make things worse. Secondly, find yourself an occupation, do things you enjoy doing. You can benefit from no sleep ya know."

"How?"

"I became a mutant at fourteen. I never went to school again, but I began reading a book a night as well as personal studies during the day. I did this until I was way past school age." An amused smile crossed Marina's face. "I consider myself just as smart, or even smarter."

Bobby had been sitting with his back to the window. He watched as Marina's smile faded and her eyes looked out behind him.

"What is it?" Bobby jumped up and turned around.

"I saw some one moving outside." Marina pulled open the patio door and stepped outside, Bobby on her heels.

The night was calm, the only sound coming from the crickets. Something shot out from beside them and landed so close to Marina that she stumbled backwards, Bobby catching her. When her balance had returned, she looked up, a grin spreading to her face.

"Toad, I never thought I would see you again."

"Yes, well life is full of wonderful surprised."

**Shouts Out**

**Special thanks to Lissy, LostMuse99, and Galadriel for reviewing chapter 12! **

**Thanks to everyone else for actually reviewing my story at all. I don't like my writing skills so i figured i wouldn't get any reviews for this story. **

**Lori iyou areright. Sketty did give me a good review. She tipped me off on my skills in a very veyr nice way. I used to write on Fictionpress and some reviewer simply said, 'you suck, you shouldn'y be writing on here'. So yes, i do like very kind tips about how my skills arn't the greatest...i'd beleive them.**

Thank you thank you! (I'm bowing and waving like the queen). Enjoy life, love, and swiss chocolate.


	14. XFool

Hey I've finally updated! Its been months eh? I'm really sorry abou that. Not only did i move, but i've started writnig non fan fiction stories and totally forgot that i hadn't finished writing this one. Thank you to anyone who as reviewed!

**14. X-Fool **

Marina's pov

I couldn't help being amused by Toad's sudden appearance. I could tell that Bobby didn't share my same enjoyment of our enemy's arrival. I couldn't figure out what I liked about the green man, but he always seemed to give me some pleasure I couldn't comprehend.

"What are you doing here?" Bobby snapped, crossing his arms.

"I bring ya a message," said Toad, only looking at me. "From Magneto."

"Yeah, what does the old fart want now?" I asked, wishing that Toads surprise appearance had only been a social call. I didn't want to hear more crap from Eric.

"Its foah X as well," said Toad, still staring at me with those shiny yellow eyes.

I turned and headed to the Professors office. He would have sensed Toad's presence by now; he would be waiting for us. Toad and Bobby followed me through the corridors to the office. Toad stopped and put a hand on Bobby's chest.

"This ain't fer you junior."

Bobby opened his mouth to argue, but I just shook my head. He wasn't a part of this. My assumption proved correct, the Professor was waiting in his office, smiling at us from behind his desk.

"Welcome Toad. If you both will wait a moment, Rogue should be here shortly."

As he fished his sentence, Rogue walked in, her hair and clothing rumpled. When she saw Toad, she jumped back in surprise. I felt really sorry for her, she had been through enough problems already. I believed it was a lack of the Professor's better judgment, to invite her in.

"Now Toad, please share the message," said the Professor, as Rogue moved cautiously over to my side, always keeping her eyes on Toad. The green man jumped to his feet and grinned.

"Magneto sends two fings. First fing, 'e needs the girl there to finish his work. They 'ad a deal." Toad looked at Rogue as he said it and I could feel the poor girl shudder. "Second, 'e found something tha' may be of service," said Toad, now addressing Xavier.

"And what is that?"

"Ken is lookin foah you."

Toad's words seemed to echo in the silent room, as we all considered every word he had spoken. Xavier's eyes suddenly clouded over and a scream echoed down the hallway. I was the first to reach the door. Groups of children were running down the hall, fear shining wildly in their eyes.

"It appears Ken has found us," said the Professor, his tone flat. Rage surged through me. Xavier may have been physkic (don't know how to spell it), but he sure made a lot of mistakes. I would have thought he had seen this coming miles away. Why was he always getting the children in trouble?

"You fool," I hissed. I didn't wait to see or hear the Professor's reaction, but rushed out the door. I couldn't see anyone in the entrance area so I immediately headed off to the dorms, where all Ken's men would cash in.

"Marina, they're attacking the children!" Bobby hollered down the hall before disappearing down another corridor. I came upon a man dressed in black, harassing one of the newer female students who had not yet mastered her power.

I felt the familiar surge in my body as it faded away and water took its place. A flew straight at the man, knocking him to the floor. The girl mutant just looked at me, her eyes wide with fear.

"Run girl, run!" I screamed as I sent another wave at the man as he got to his feet. The girl continued to stand there, blubbering away and clinging to a scrap of blanket. All I could do for the stupid kid was make sure no one touched her. She wasn't about to move on her own. I turned just in time to see a second man in black running straight at the girl.

She shrieked loudly, but instead of being attacked, a long tongue wrapped around her waist and she went shooting backwards. I morphed human again and kicked my foot into the head of my opponent and whipped around to do the same to the second. A few meters away Toad was awkwardly holding the crying child, un-sure of what to do.

"Give me the kid." I grabbed the girl from Toad's arms and rubbed her head. She seemed to calm down considerably. "Toad, help get the children out."

Toad just stood still and put his hands on his hips. He grinned devishly, showing off his very small teeth.

"Wha' will ya give me in return?"

I grit my teeth and glared at him as best as I could. "You help me and I will help you get away from Magneto."

"I don' wanna leave Magneto," said Toad, looking startled by my comment.

"No. You are too scared to leave Magneto. You've seen the things between me an' Mags. I can help. Deal?" I held out my hand to him.

Toad slowly looked at his green palm then to my own white one. He slapped his hand into mine and I squeezed it shut. Another course of screams drifted down the hall and I released him. "Good now lets go."

* * *

Third Person

Scott ran through the mansion searching for the source of all the shouting. He had missed the first mansion attack but he was unlucky to be there for the second one. He rounded a corner and saw a familiar white haired woman, lying on the floor, Bobby and Kitty sitting around her.

"Storm?" Scott called, bending down beside her.

"It's just my leg. You have to help the others," said Ororro, trying not to focus on the pain in her leg. Scott nodded and stood up. He left the students to look after their teacher.

The screaming area was near the front door, and Scott saw why. Marina, Toad, and Jubilee where in the entrance way, pushing back the enemy. Scott yanked down his glasses and one of the six men when flying backwards, smashing through a window. Scott did the same to two more of the men, and by then, the others had dealt with the last three.

Jubilee shrieked in triumph and cart wheeled out of the room to join some of her friends. She was excited that she got to fight. Not many students were allowed to be X-Men, although it was their dream.

"Thanks Scotty," said Marina, turning around. Her eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth the scream, but it was too late.

One of Ken's men came up behind Scott and shoved a tranquilizer into his neck. Marina was about to run to help when she felt a sting on the side of her neck and her whole body went numb as she fell to the floor.

* * *

Luvs to you!

Lehcar Sundance

p.s. I will try to update sooner this time ;)


	15. Pain in the Neck

**My thanks to:**

GottaLoveIt : Thanks for your review. I'd say i updated quickly. I hope i didn't leave you in suspense for to long. Have you reviewed my story before or is this the first time? I can't remember many names because i've been away for so long.

Made of the Mer : Mmmmmm thanks for the muffin. Since you didn't say what kind it was i made sure it was double chocolate chip. I hadn't updated my story for months but thanks to your sudden review it made me feel guilty and i just had to write more. And since i wrote more it made me want to write even more! So thanks for the push start.

Nyltiak : Yes i love the Toad action more than anything! I'm making sure there is a lot of it in thenext chapters! I'm glad to be back. So how often do you change your name? You've been LostMuse99, Crows Quill, and now Nyltiak. Hey are you still writing your Lack of Fear Part II story? I havn't been around for awhile so i havn't checked.

Enjoy the next chapter!

**Pain in the Neck**

Bobby's POV

I liked being considered part of the x-team, but I was very relieved when the fighting was over. I don't like warfare on my own territory; it adds a certain intensity that makes me feel more panicky and desperate.

I was checking to make sure the younger kids were alright when I felt there was something wrong. It almost felt like a presence had left the building, but I knew I was just going for emotional trip. Never the less, I couldn't rid myself of that uneasy and I went in search of the Professor. He was in the first level directing the children on how to assist Storm, who was lying on the ground with a broken foot.

"Professor, can you do a head count? I think there may be some people missing," I said, interrupting him.

Professor Xavier wordlessly nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. When his lids slowly opened up again I could tell something was wrong.

"They have Scott, Toad, and Marina."

Marina. Why did I always known when she came or went. It was a freaky mystery that I planned on figuring out the next time I found her. When I meant next time I meant, I wouldn't let them take Marina away from me. Not until I found out what our connection was. I had no gifts like the Professor's so I know that can't be the problem.

"I'll get a team together," said the Professor, looking down at Storm. I opened my mouth to speak but he answered before he heard a word. "Yes Bobby, you may go with them this time. As you can see, we are already a few short. Now go get Logan for me. He's on the second level." I grinned and ran upstairs to get Logan. The sooner we were gathered together, the sooner we could get Marina back.

* * *

"Do you have any idea where they may have been taken?" asked Storm. She sat with her leg propped up on a coffee table, a white cast on her left leg.

"None what-so-ever. I'm not sure how he's done it, but Ken has yet again managed to hide their whereabouts. I have searched cerebrum many times but it's been fruitless," Confessed Xavier, shaking his head sadly.

"Than what are we going to do about it?" I snapped, unable to contain myself any longer. Logan looked at me with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. The Professor also kept quite but shook his head slowly. The room was so quite that we were startled when there was a quick knock on the door.

"Come in Rogue," The Professor called. The door creaked open and Rogue slowly entered the room, her head down and her hair hanging messily in her eyes. She stood in front of them quietly for a moment with out saying anything.

"I-I may know where Ken's taken the others," she said quickly.

"Where?" I asked, jumping from my seat. As the minutes ticked by I found myself more and more urgent to find the water angel.

"I may be wrong. But I absorbed many things from his associate. I have a good idea of many places he could have taken Scott and Marina."

"And Toad," added Professor Xavier. Rogue just made a face and didn't repeat what he said. I couldn't agree more with her. I don't know why the Professor and Marina were so nice to the slimy creature.

"So can I give it a go?" asked Rogue timidly. The Professor smiled kindly at her.

"Lead the way."

* * *

Marina groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore the throbbing in the side of her neck. She wanted the pain to disappear to let her sleep for a little while longer. It was only then that she remembered something. She never sleeps. Marina gasped and sat up, wincing at the pain in her neck. She was about to morph to relieve the pain but remembered what had happened last time she did it without looking.

"Go ahead luv, no one but yoah fellow freak watchin ya," I heard Toad say behind me. I morphed the pain away quickly and then turned to face Toad.

"So you're caught too, eh?"

"Nah, this is just an optic allusion tah trick yoah mind inta thinking I'm real," said Toad, his yellow eyes shining at me. I laughed and rolled my eyes at his cynical remark. My smile quickly faded when I remembered Scott. I looked across the room to see Scott lying limply on the floor. I scrambled to get over to him.

"They bunged 'im up pretty bad. 'e will be out for a while yet," commented Toad, following Marina with his eyes. Marina sighed and looked at her surroundings. They were in a cavern type area made of hard gray rock. Marina sat herself down beside Toad but he slowly edged away from her.

"What's the matter? Don't like physical contact?" she teased, leaning so her shoulder rubbed against his.

"No I don't," snapped Toad, edging away from Marina even more. She decided to drop the subject and not move any closer to him. Her eyes once again scanned their rocky cage.

"So I don't suppose there is anyway out?" asked Marina. Toad shrugged his shoulders and repeated Marina's action, scanning the roof.

"Don' know. I 'avn't check the place out yet. I got to much bloody pain in me neck to bother doin it."

Marina reached over and began to massage Toad's neck but he yelped and jumped away. "Don' do that!"

"Boy when you said you don't like any physical contact you sure meant it," said Marina, a grin growing on her face. Toad glared at her and his face scrunched up making him look even uglier than he already was.

"Look princess I don' mind ya bein happy but now ain't the time to play games."

Marina opened her mouth but closed it a loud groan echoed in the cavern. Marina searched to see what wild creature had been released into their jail, but realized that it had come from the injured x-man.

"Scott, how you feeling?" asked Marina, running up to him.

"I-I-I-I c-can't move," stuttered Scott, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Great 'e is bloody paralyzed," groaned Toad.

"A-a-am not. I c-can move but it…hurts," said Scott wincing at an attempt to move. Marina slowly checked all the boned in his body. At first she thought it was his legs but suddenly realized something. One of Scott's arms was shorter than the other.

"You aren't paralyzed Scotty. Your collar bone is broken." Scott groaned and closed his eyes. Marina helped him lie flat on his back to make him more comfortable. "Try to sleep Scotty, Toad and I will look around." As soon as Marina said it, she realized the Scott had already closed his eyes and was snoring softly.

"Is 'e gonna be right?" asked Toad, leaning against the wall.

"I'm not sure," Marina whispered. "We have to get the collar bone fixed soon or else he may always be that way. I also think he may be bleeding internally." Toad didn't say anything but his eyes darted to Scott, and Marina was convinced she saw worry in his large eyes. "Come on 'T'; let's check out this cage of ours. I don't know about you but I distinctively feel a breeze." Marina almost grabbed for the green mutants hand but she pulled away just before making contact. She was always comforted by touch so it was hard being comforted when the only person awake was so touchy (pun intended).

Together they walked in the direction of the breeze until they came to a tinier whole that they would have to crawl through. Marina looked over at Toad, and he looked back and nodded.

"I'll go," he muttered before crawling through the whole. Marina watched until his feet diapered around a bend.

"See anything?" she called down the hole. She could hear her voice echo through the enclosed space. Toad's voice echoed right back to her.

"We're in a cave."

"Then we can get out?" Marina asked, her voice filled with hope.

"Nah, dis ain't no normal cave, luv. They gots the entrance rigged. Walk frew theah and we'll be blowin tah pieces." Marina's heart dropped. When she heard the scrape of Toad's body making its way back out, she turned and walked back into the larger room to check on Scott. Toad re-entered, rubbing his sore neck as he came.

"We ain't got a way out 'less death is an option," he said.

"It isn't," Marina snapped back, shooting him a death glare (that pun wasn't intended).


	16. Two Patients

Maid of the Mer: Thanks for reviewing again! And thanks for your muffins. Did you bake them or buy them?

Shortatntionspaz: Hey glad to your name on the review. I agree with your saying. There is less violence when people are using hula-hoops. But then there are more freak hoola hoop accidents.

Shieksy: Thanks for your review. Glad to see you around again.

**16. Two Patients **

Rogue's POV

I wasn't completely sure of where Marina and the other had been taken, but I had several good guesses. When I searched Bean Bag's memories I saw several images.

An old factory

A camping trailer

And what looked to be a shrub. I quickly dealt that one out. It was probably a place Bean Bag decided to urinate at one point during his life. So I gave the professor the two remaining options and gave him permission to read my mind. I could only see images, but Professor X was confident that he would be able to find the exact location with the right probing in my head.

"Rogue, please lie down," said Professor Xavier, motioning to a hospital bed. I climbed in and closed my eyes when I felt the Professor's hands on my head. I felt a sudden tug in my mind, but I knew for sure that he was in when all the voices in my head started to complain.

0Hey you, this is our place, get out- John snapped.o

oHurt her bub and you'll be hearing from meoLogan said, and I heard the familiar sound of him releasing his claws.

oWant to see the photos of all my girlfriends?o David said. There was a crack and a scream. He punched me! Wolf boy punched me in my nose David wailed.

oYou deserved ito Logan growled.

Suddenly all the voices stopped and my eyes opened instantly.

"Did you find the right location?" I asked, looking at the Professor.

"The factory and trailer have not been used for a long time, but I kept seeing the strangest image of a shrub," said the Professor, his brow furrowed. I groaned and climbed off the hospital bed.

"Ignore that one, I don't know why its there," I said, rubbing my forehead. It was throbbing, and I guessed it was because all the voices talked at once, where usually they talked with me one on one. I know the Professor heard the voices as well, but I had already warned him that they were there. He didn't seem too surprised by it; I guess he'd seen me talking to thing air before.

"I believe they are in the area of that shrub, Rogue. That is where we are headed."

* * *

At dusk, the light in the cave began to dim. The cavern had small holes in the roof, allowing natural light to flow in. They were also rigged with explosives incase anyone tried to stick a body part through them.

It wasn't long before the cave was pitch black; so dark no one could even see their hand if were held in front of their face.

"I guess you should go to sleep," Marina whispered, leaning up against one of the walls.

"Don't tell me what tah do," Toad answered; he was in a bad mood. He didn't enjoy being trapped with two of the 'good guys'. Never the less, Marina could hear him moving so that he was lying down on the floor.

"Sweet dr-"

"Shut up," Toad snapped.

Marina giggled cheerfully, knowing full well that it would only grate the nerves of her companion. She leaned back on the hard rock, preparing for a very dull night. Marina morphed into water to make laying on rock much more comforable. There she stayed for about an hour, just one large puddle on the floor.

Sound waves rippled through Marina and she quickly changed human again and listened with her ears. Scott groaned in pain a second time and Marina jumped to her feet.

"Scott? She called, feeling around the room to find him. She tripped on her feet and landed on someone's stomach.

"Bloody hell!" shrieked Toad, struggling on the floor. "Get of me!"

"Sorry doll, wrong person," said Marina, resisting the urge to laugh. She didn't want Toad to be mad at her the entire time they were stuck together. "Scott speaks to me," Marina asked.

"Over here," Scott called. Marina followed his voice, and this time was more careful not to trip. She felt her hands brush against another human being.

"Hey Scotty, how you doing?"

"Bad. My chest is killing me," groaned Scott.

"Tell me what it feels like baby," said Marina, taking Scott's hand to comfort him.

"It feels like pressure is building up there, squeezing my chest to make it smaller."

"Can you breathe all right?" asked Marina, trying to mask the worry in her voice. She felt Toad quietly sit down beside her.

"It's easier when I'm not talking," Scott wheezed.

"Then don't talk, Scotty. Just get some sleep, and Toad and I will find a way out of this." Marina shifted so that Scott's head was in her lap and she began to stroke his head. Scott seemed to relax as much as he could in the pain he was in.

"'Rina?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you staying?"

"What do ya mean, boy?"

"You know that when you're water-" Scott paused, gasping for air, and Marina began to stroke his head again. "Explosives can't hurt you. You can escape," said Scott falling quiet again. Beside her, Marina heard Toad's intake of breath. It hadn't occurred to him that Marina could leave at them at anytime she wanted.

"I stay Scotty, because you aren't well. I say 'cause Ken ain't stupid. He probably has got sensors around this place. And since he has me, he'll probably have electricity somewhere as well."

"Thanks," Scott whispered.

Marina bent over and kissed him softly on the forehead. Toad moved away and lay down again, but Marina remained the way she was for the rest of the night, cradling Scott's head in her lap.

* * *

Rogue's POV

I stepped out of the change room in my stiff X-Men uniform. I wasn't usually an x-man…woman, but today I was valuable and I finally earned my suit. Bobby got his long before me, but he actually had useful powers so it was no surprise to anyone. I looked up to see the boy himself looking at me.

"You look good in that outfit," he said, smiling at me. I smiled back and turned to look at the map, the Professor had set up for us. We were going to be dropped off in some forest in the mountains. And in that forest we had to look for a single specific shrub. The term needle in a haystack came to my mind; I'm not sure what the others were thinking.

"Femme looks troubled," said the familiar voice. I turned around and looked at Remy, who was standing only inches away from me.

"Femme_ is_ troubled, now please step back Cajun." I put one gloved finger on his chest and put pressure so that he would step away from me. I didn't like people standing close to me. It reminded me that I could never touch human beings skin to skin. "What are you doing down here?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"When Marina needs help, Remy comes running."

"What is it with you and Marina?" I asked irritably. "Are you lovers or something." Remy grinned at me and winked one of his red eyes.

"Non. Perhaps long ago it was a nice idea, but Marina and Remy, we be close friends. Only friends."

"Very close friends then," I commented. I couldn't think of any friend of mine who would spend their whole lives, prepared to rescue me at any kind of danger.

"Remy not exactly work for tha best company. Marina was in high places and got Remy out of tha company. For that I will always be indebted to her," said Remy, smiling down at me. Like Marina, his eyes also conveyed that he'd seen more in his years than most people would, and they enticed me, though I wished they wouldn't.

"Well I'm glad to have you on board." I turned from him and walked out of the room to find Logan. We had to go now.

* * *

Dim light shone into the cave, and Scott slowly opened his eyes and blinked. A hand was on his head, stroking his chestnut brown hair.

"'Rina," he whispered, his voice dry and scratchy.

" 'morning Scotty. How'd you sleep?"

"Good. Thank," Scott gasped out, barely able to speak. Marina put a hand to his mouth. When she pulled away there was moisture on his lips and he swallowed the water that had been put in his mouth.

"Don't talk. Just rest your throat," Marina whispered. She pulled off her dirty, cadet-blue clutch sweater and put it under his head. She carefully stood up and made her way over to where Toad was sleeping, his own black coat bundled under his head for little comfort. Marina thought he was asleep, but as soon as she stepped close he opened his eyes and looked straight at her.

"Scott is getting worse," Marina whispered, so that her patient wouldn't hear. "I think I should go get help."

"Come on luv, you said yoahself that there ain't a way out without no risks," said Toad, still lying on the ground.

"I know, but I think I should take those risks. Come on, lets look for the best way out," Marina said, standing up. Toad began to sit up but let out a yelp of pain and lay back down again, panting heavily. Scott lifted his head and looked over at Toad, as Marina knelt down by his side again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nuffin, its nuffin."

"It didn't sound like nothing to me. Toad I'm going to take off your shirt, so don't struggle." Toad looked like he wanted to resist, but gasped in pain as Marina sat him up and began to lift his shirt over his head. Although his skin had a green tinge, Marina could easily see the dark purple and yellow bruises that were forming on Toad's back, not to mention the bloody gash between his shoulder blades.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"I ain't hurt that much. Besides luv, you had enough injuries on your hands already."

"I not to bad," Scott wheezed. Toad snorted and chose not to make a comment.

"I can't do anything for your bruises but I can clean up that blood," said Marina. She tore two strips of fabric from her coat and returned to Toad. Holding the cloth in her hand, it suddenly filled with water. Putting one hand on Toads chest, she began to carefully dab at his bloodied back.

Scott watched quietly as Marina treated the second patient. Even though Toad kept quiet, Scott could see pain in the mutants big eyes. Toad had turned his head and was watching Marina as best he could. It was then that Scott saw something else in his eyes that he was sure he misinterpreted; was that desire?

When Marina had gotten rid of all the dried blood, she wrapped the second piece of fabric around his chest and tied it up. Wordlessly she stood up and handed Toad his shirt.

"Need help?" she asked. Toad shook his head and slid the shirt easily over his body, and pulled his jacket on over top. Marina nodded and began to walk away, but Toad reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Thanks luv." He quickly dropped her hand, and stood up, walking in the direction of the caves entrance. Marina just stood there for a moment, watching him leave.

"Did he just voluntarily touch me?" Marina asked in disbelief.

"Is that such a surprise?" Scott wheezed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Marina, tuning to face him. Scott just shook his head and motioned that he could not speak any more.


	17. The Loss

**GottaLoveIt : **I'm glad you like how i give different perspectives. Some people just define that as crappy writing :D I just figured that there were so many characters that they needed to speak for themselves some times.

**That Livingston Girl : **Yes the Toadness is the best part. Don't worry Bobby and Marina scene will be arriving shortly.

**Maid of the Mer : **Well i'm glad to see you put effort into your muffins. I make the stories and you can make the muffins, sounds like a great plan. Thanks for reviewing, it really encourages me to continue writing.

Yes Scott is out of action. I thought it would be much more interesting that way, it gives Marina and Toad more time together ;)

**Galadeidre : **Thanks for your review! I'm not sure what i'm going to do with Rogue. At first i was going to stick her with Remy, but then everything i know about Remy has been from other Fan Fictions so i didn't feel up to the job. But i might write a second story...maybe Rogue and Remy will get there moment there. I'm not sure yet.

**If anyone else has reviewed i'm sorry if you didn't get mentioned. My crappy review alert doesn't tell me i have a review untill two days after its been sumbitted. **

**17. The Loss**

Bobby POV

I think Professor Xavier had a few lose screws in that bald head of his. I can't believe he actually expected us to look for one shrub in the entire forest. Sure I'll be able to sense Marina when we get close, but we'll have to search and whole forest to get to that point. Did I mention that the forest was big?

Remy walked up beside me and took off his black sunglasses, showing his red eyes.

"Feel anything?" he asked. I shook my head without answering. If I had said something it probably wouldn't have been nice, and I could see that Remy was truly worried about Marina; he and I both had something in common. Remy stopped walking and motioned for everyone else to stop. He began scanning the bushes as Logan began to sniff the air like a dog. Logan rolled his eyes and groaned allowed.

"Why do you always have to show up?" he asked, to no one in particular. There was a rustle in the near by bushes and a lithe blue woman sauntered out.

"Hello to you too," Mystique said. I immediately noticed something different than usual, she was actually wearing clothing! Sure it was only a tiny sports bra and black yoga pants, but it was a welcomes change.

"What do you want?" asked Logan, watching her with careful eyes.

"Calm down, Wolfy. I'm here for the same reason as you; to get Marina back." I couldn't help roll my eyes at her comment. What was is about Marina Ocean that attracted people to her, making them want to save her life.

"Join the club," I muttered. Mystique glanced at me before turned her attention back to Logan.

"You can stick with us if you want, but we'll be watching you," said Logan, pointing a finger in her face. Mystique just smiled and swatted his finger out of her face. We continued on our way, but it was obvious everyone was worried about Mystique's presence. The blue woman moved up so she was standing beside me and Remy.

"'allo Mystique," said Remy, not looking her way.

"Remy. It's been awhile," replied Mystique. I felt my mouth go dry; they knew each other! Of course I realized it was stupid to be surprised. They were both friends of Marina's, and neither could really be counted as respectable company in the first place. I hoped we would find the shrub soon, before anymore of Marina's strange friends showed up.

* * *

"Okay let's do it?" said Marina, decidedly. For the last hour she and Toad were trying to find a good way for her to get out. The finally decided that she might as well jump through the hole as water and see how things went from there. "If something goes wrong, just hold tight. The X-team is probably out looking for us." Marina looked down the hole and then back at Toad. 

"Be careful luv."

"I'll try." Marina body dissolved until it was only silhouetted by clear blue water. She slowly slid through the tunnel that led to the entrance way. She was about to leap through the whole when she froze and turned back into her human form.

"Hey Toad!"

"What?" Marina did not morph as she wiggled back out of the tunnel, she felt Toad's hand on her waste as he helped slide her out. Marina caught her breath, surprised to find that he was once again touching her.

"I don't have to go," she explained. "Bobby, Bobby is coming."

"Who?" asked Toad, looking puzzled.

"Bobby Drake…Iceman. He's one of the X-Men," said Marina, almost hopping with excitement. Toad waved his hands in the air to make Marina slow down.

"How do ya know 'es coming?"

"I can feel him."

"Feel 'im eh? You can't read minds can ya?" he asked, edging away from Marina. The water angel giggled and smacked him on the chest.

"Don't worry, I can't read minds. Bobby is an ice mutant and I am a water mutant," she explained with a shrug.

"So?"

"So, ice is only frozen water." Marina nodded her head in the direction of the main cave and walked back in, Toad following behind her. Marina walked over to Scott, and softly touched his leg, where she knew she wouldn't hurt him.

"Scotty? Bobby's coming." Scott kept his eyes closed, but a smile formed on his lips, showing that he heard her. He thought it was only right that Marina's son be the one to come get them out.

* * *

Bobby walked through the forest with confidence. He had suddenly connected with Marina and it wouldn't be long before he found her and got the answers he wanted. 

"How much longer?" asked Mystique.

Bobby didn't say anything but stepped around a large rock to where there was a single shrub on the ground. Rogue walked up and looked at it before nodding. It was _the_ shrub.

Bobby reached out and yanked the bush back revealing a hole big enough for a person to crawl through on his or her stomach. Bobby wanted to be the first in so he began to climb into the hole. A huge bang erupted and Bobby's ears burned in pain as well as the left side of his face.

"What that?" asked Scott. A large bang sounded through the cave and loose pieces of rock fell to the ground.

"My God!" Marina screamed, running towards the entrance. Toad also raced after her, realizing what just happen. Marina flooded through the hole and sloshed out the other side, Toad only a few seconds behind her.

The x-men said nothing as Marina appeared. Lying on the ground was Bobby, the left side of his face a bloody mess of burned skin. Marina didn't say anything but stood there, her whole body shaking as she stared at the mangled face of her unconscious son.

"Marina," Mystique said quietly, edging cautiously towards her friend. Marina broke out of her daze and let out a shriek that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. She dropped to the ground and cradled Bobby's head in her arms. "Marina listen to me," said Mystique again. Marina ignored her and continued to whimper. "Sarah- Jane Montgomery!" Marina's eyes immediately flickered to her friend on hearing the name that once belonged to her. "Sarah, he'll be fine, but we have to get him out of here before its to late. Pull yourself together."

"Do you promise?"

"Yeah I promise." What Mystique did next shocked not only the x-men but Toad as well. She wrapped her arms around Marina and hugged her tightly, a single tear sliding down her blue face.

"Scott!" Marina screamed suddenly, jumping out of the embrace. "Scott, he's down there and he's really hurt. He might not recover."

"I'll get him," said Mystique, heading to the hole. "Come on Rogue."

Rogue and Mystique slid into the hole and disappeared from the view of the others. They made their way to the main cavern. Both their stomach's flopped when they saw Scott lying on the ground in such a bad shape.

"Hey Scotty," said Mystique.

"Hey Jody," Scott whispered.

"You know that isn't my name anymore," Mystique said. Scott smiled and shook his head at her.

* * *

Marina's POV

The image of Bobby's mangled face was burnt into my vision, even after I turned away. Remy and Logan were working at cleaning up his wounds, but I was too emotional to watch. When I saw my only son lying on the ground, assumed dead, I thought I would die myself.

Mystique set me right; she always was a good friend. I couldn't believe she called me by my old name in front of everyone. She and I had been friends long before her mutation had kicked in. I had foolishly told her my first name, a mistake I never did anymore.

We had made a deal when she changed, she would never call me Sarah, and I would never call her Jody. She hated anything to do with her. I don't think anyone but me and Scott knew her has Jody, we were the only two who continued to be in her company after she became a shifter.

"Some one is coming!" Logan shouted, jumping to his feet and listening intently.

"Did anyone check if Ken had any detectors around?" I snapped, jumping into fight mode. The only emotion that I could successful manage in my current state. The x-team looked at me wordlessly; it was one precaution that forgot to check.

"That was sm-" Toad began, he was cut off by sudden sporadic gunfire came from the near by trees. All of us scattered like aunts, ducking behind the closest cover that we could find. I grabbed Bobby by his shoulders and dragged him behind a large boulder so that he wouldn't catch a stray bullet. I kissed him on the clean side of his face and rushed from behind my cover, no longer myself but water.

I sloshed into the first man I could see. He fell to the ground and I quickly morphed human and grabbed his dropped weapon. I hated killing, I really did, but there are some things in life people just can't get around. I turned the gun on the fallen man and pulled the trigger, trying not to wonder whether or not he had a family.

I jumped from behind the tree and began to shoot at any person I could see. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Remy shooting his cards at the offending soldiers. His cards were suddenly gone and I spun to him.

"Remy!" I chucked the rifle to him and he grabbed his and started to use it instead. I felt something cut through my stomach and I gasped in pain and put my hand to my stomach. I felt a warm liquid on my hand and I didn't have to look down to know what it was. I had been shot. I groaned and tried to get control over my wandering mind. I felt an arm around my waist, and my body being led in an unknown direction.

"I tink its time tah heal yourself, luv," I heared Toad say into my ear. My mind wrapped around his British accent, going over each word in my foggy mind. Suddenly I opened my eyes and morphed into water, sighing as I felt the warm liquid disappear and felt only water remaining. Two more bullets came my way, but they cut through the water and hit near by trees. I turned human again and ducked behind a tree where Toad was waiting.

"Thanks," I said, before quickly running out again to get back into the fight.

* * *

Bobby's POV

The first thing I felt when I opened my eyes was a searing hot pain that burned the left side of my face. I reached up to touch my face but quickly retracted my hand when I felt the bubbly flesh. Gun fire filled my ears and a struggled to sit up and look around. I was beside a bolder which I quickly peeked around. The entire forest clearing was filled with men in army garb. They were being fought back by my fellow mutants and I wondered what had gone on while I was unconscious.

Across the clearing I saw Marina fighting side-by-side with Toad, and I felt relieved to know that we had at least gotten them about alive…so far. I heard a loud yelp and I saw Rogue being dragged out of the clearing by a woman, a flying woman. Ken had a mutant on his team! It was then that I got angry. The very man who was trying to destroy mutants had a mutant on his team.

The burning in my face suddenly cooled down and another sensation filled my body. I felt cold, solid, and ready for battle. I stood up quickly and there was a huge shock that ran through my whole body. I looked down at my hand and saw that it was no longer a hand, but ice shaped like a human body. I ran (more like slid, everywhere I stepped I left an ice path) in the direction the woman had taken Rogue.

I couldn't see them anywhere, but another painful shriek echoed through the forest. I ran blindly until I saw Rogue on the ground, the flying woman's hands clenched around Rogue's neck. Rogue's face was covered in pain and the other woman's skin was covered in veins, her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Bobby," Rogue shrieked my name, "She's s-stuck, make her l-let go." I was racing to her as quickly as possible when Rogue threw back her head and let out one more shriek. The woman's eyes rolled forward again and she fell to the ground, pulling Rogue with her. I skidded up, and knelt down beside the.

When I reached to touch the blonde woman, I noticed that my hands once again were normal flesh. I felt for her pulse, but there was nothing there. Rogue had large bruises on her neck and when I reach for her pulse, I didn't feel the familiar tug of skin touching, in fact I didn't feel a pulse at all. I yanked my hand away and stared at her, stunned.

"Bobby?" I hear Marina call. "Bobby?"

"I'm over here," I shouted, pulling my eyes away from Rogue's body. Marina ran over to me and knelt down beside Rogue.

"Is she…"

"Yeah." Marina looked down at Rogue quietly.

"Alright, let's move her to the jet. Storm has flown it to us." I couldn't believe how calm she was being. It was obviously not the first time she had dealt with a dead body before, and that creped me out a little bit.

I can't even explain the grief that settled on everyone when they saw Rogue's body. I had thought I had seen Logan at his worst when Jean died, I had been mistaken. He looked so small and weak when he saw Rogue, and for the second time I saw him cry. Even Toad and Mystique looked somewhat sad. Rogue would be a terrible loss for all of us.

* * *

**Hey Hey, i've decided that its finally time for Bobby to find out about his mother. At first i decided that he would never find out, but i told my Best Friend and sister and they weren't too happy about that. So next chapter : Bobby learns the truth!**


	18. Confession

**18. Confession**

The X-team was in a sullen mood when they returned home. On the flight they had agreed to delay the announcement of Rogue's death. They did not want to worsen the moods of the students. So for the first night they would leave Rogue's body in a cold room in the lower levels and deal with her the next morning.

Scott had been placed under careful watch and had a large cast put on to hopefully correct the damage of his broken collar bone. Surgery was also in order, but to the relief of his friends, an acquaintance of Professor Xavier, a doctor by the name of Hank McCoy, could come and do the work needed to be done. Bobby did not need any kind of surgery. When he had become ice, his wound had healed instantly; a trait he got from his mother.

Mystique had been dropped off to a requested location, but Toad had refused to go with her. He no longer wanted to be part of the brother hood or any other team for that matter. Mystique had not been happy, but backed off when Marina told her to leave it alone. Toad was convinced to return with the x-men to the mansion to have his back fixed up before he also went on his way.

When they climbed off the jet, Remy approached Marina and spoke to her in rushed French. Marina threw her arms around her friend and they kissed one another on both cheeks. Remy then proceeded to walk out the nearest exit.

"Vere is 'e going?" asked Kurt. Marina turned to him and smiled pleasantly.

"Where ever he chooses to go." She patted the blue man on the cheek and also left the room. Bobby saw her go and raced to catch up with her. When he reached her, she was in the cold room, looking at Rogue's stiff body.

"Marina, we need to talk," said Bobby, coming beside her.

"Then talk," replied.

"Here?" asked Bobby, glancing at Rogue. Marina stood up and drew a curtain so that they could no longer see her. "I need to know Marina. I need to know what connection you have with me."

"I told you, its an ice and water issu-"

"Don't give me that crap, Marina! It's more than that."

Marina looked grimly at him, not prepared to tell him the truth, but knowing that the moment had finally come. She sighed and put her forehead in her hands. She stayed that way for five minutes, making Bobby tenser by the minute.

"Do you know why you got the name you did?" she asked, looking up at him with her piercing blue eyes.

"No. My parents said that I was already named when they adopted me," said Bobby, wondering why she was avoiding the question.

"You were named Bobby-not Robert- because it was a name that sounded modern yet old at the same time. You were named Grey in honour of Marcus," said Marina, a soft smile on her face. "He only ever wore gray clothing." Bobby stared her, his mouth hanging wide open.

"How did you know my middle name?" Bobby whispered.

"Because I made it Bobby, and you're very lucky, I was going to call you Bobby Brown because that was Marcus's last name. Grey was a lot cooler in my opinion," said Marina, taking a carefree and cheerful tone. When she saw how stunned Bobby was, her featured turned serious again. "I would have told you before Bobby, I just figured you would want to know about me."

"Y-you're my mother? My_ real_ mother? A…a…a mutant?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry baby. I never thought you would end up with the same curse as me, I thought you would be normal."

"I am normal, and so are you," said Bobby, harshness rising up in his throat. He had slowly edged farther away from Marina so that he was touching the curtain hiding Rogue from his vision.

"Who…who was the father. Was it this Marcus Brown guy?"

"There wasn't a father, you grew from my mutation," said Marina sadly. Bobby just watched her not saying anything. A tear slipped down Marina's face and she put her head in her hands once again.

"I would have liked a mother who was just like me," she heard Bobby say.

"I'm sorry," said Marina, squeezing her eyes shut in attempt to keep her tears back. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder and she looked up into Bobby's blue eyes.

"Ice comes from water huh?" he asked, a small smiling appearing on his lips.

"Yeah," said Marina, also smiling. Bobby leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I'm glad to have you, even if you did come late," Bobby said, his voice muffled because his face was against his mothers shoulder. They stayed in an embrace for a few minutes, not saying anything. There was a loud gasp and the curtain suddenly rippled with movement.

"What happened!" gasped a voice. Bobby and Marina both jumped up and yanked the curtain back. Rogue was sitting up in the bed looking dazed. "Why is it so cold?"

"Rogue….you're…you're alive!" exclaimed Bobby.

"Of course I'm alive! Did you think that I died or something?" snapped Rogue, pulling herself off the bed.

"YES!" exclaimed Bobby and Marina at the same time.

* * *

**So sorry this chapter is so short and withouth a shouts out thing. Many of my reviewers (and friends) were getting their knickers in a knot over the fact that i killed off Rogue. So i figured i better show my mast plan quickly before i lost readers.**

**Okay i hvae a request. I have no clue what to do with Ken. And i have no clue what Ken wanted from Xavier! I've just been making things up as a i go along lol. So any suggestions will be welcomed!**

**Luvs to you.**

**Lehcar Sundanc**


	19. New Information

**EJB: **Thanks for reviewing my story. I really hope Bobby will find his ice form in X3 if they ever get around to making the freakin film. And thanks for your idea for what to do with Ken. I've decided to use it so thanks so so much for your help.

**Milo: **Well i changed the story, am i realeaced from my curse? I can't write with a curse on me you know.

**Galadedrie: **I'm quite sure i just spelt your screen name wrong, but i am to lazy to figure out which part i did wrong sorry! But thanks for reviewing! Sorry that i killed Rogue momentarily. I suceeded in my master plan...shocking all the reviewers lol.

**Made of the Mer: **I'm sure getting fat on those muffins of yours. How about you giving me some yummy but with less carbs? Hmmmmm i'd say thats a good description of reviews i get for my story. Thanks :D

**ShortAtntionSpaz :** Yes killing Rogue is in the rule book...in writingnyou are allowed to kill anynone you want. I once wrote a story where i killed four out of my five characters in the end. lol my grim mind. Anyway i loved your hat dance, have you ever thought of taking it up as a career?

If i missed mentioning everyone i'm sorry! I love all my reviewers!

**19. New Information**

Bobby's POV

I couldn't believe it, I was one of the witnesses to Rogue coming back to life and I wasn't allowed in the meeting because I wasn't an adult! Teenagers get all the abuse, they aren't young enough to get the advantages of children, but not old enough to be counted as adults. Our lot in life is to be considered rude, rebellious, and extremely moody.

I stood next to the metal door, my ear pressed against it, trying to hear even the smallest amount of noise. I quickly learned that the doors were sound proof; I wouldn't be overhearing any conversations today.

Suddenly the door whizzed open and I jumped back in surprise. Storm stood at the door, a grin on her face.

"Those doors are noise resistant, something I figured out in my earlier years here," she said, winking at me. She moved so that I could enter, and I quickly made my way in. Rogue sat on a hospital bed, her face showing the fear that she was feeling inside of her.

"Bobby," said Xavier, wheeling over to me. "Marina has convinced us that it is only fair you know what we have learned as well." I smiled at Marina, my mother, who grinned back at me.

"How is Rogue alive?" It was the question that had been going through my head the moment she had sat up. Doctor McCoy, a blue fury man, stood forward to explain.

"Rogue sucked the other mutant's powers to her death, it was also more than Rogue's body could handle, so it momentarily shut down, to install her new powers into her body."

"Install her new powers?" I asked, confused by what the big man was saying.

"The woman who Rogue touched-"

"Carol," Rogue interrupted.

"Yes, Carol was her name. Because she held onto Rogue for so long, her powers seemed to have permanently implanted themselves into Rogue."

There was a hush in the room; the only sound was the beeping of equipment.

"Carol could not only fly but she had super human strength," said the Professor. "Rogue has just become one of the most powerful mutants in the world.

* * *

Rogue's POV

When they told me I was dead, at first I didn't believe them. If I was dead than how come I was alive and breathing? Then I felt Carol in my head. She didn't feel like the others, she wasn't one of the pack, she was the leader of them. Sure my brain was the leader, but she was like second in command; a second brain but without a body.

Brain. A thought surfaced to my head and I knew it was important for me too meet with the Professor, without and audience this time. I jumped off my bed to go get him, forgetting the fact that he probably already knew I wanted to see him.

"Where you going young lady," asked the fuzzy doctor.

"I…I need to see the Professor, immediately."

"Well you just lie down and I will go get him for you," said the big man, resting two large blue hands on my shoulders. I was frantic, and I couldn't wait.

"I'm fine," I snapped. I put two hands on his chest and shoved. My eyes widened in shock as Doctor McCoy flew across the room and hit the opposite wall. "I'm so sorry, sir!" I exclaimed running over. I reached to help him up, but my second surprise was that I pulled him off the floor with one hand as if he were as light as feather. I know I was told that I was very strong, but I never thought I would be _that_ strong. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, perfectly alright," said the doctor cheerfully. "But you may call me Hank." I nodded and opened my mouth to speak when the door opened and I spun around, knowing who I would find.

"You have something important to tell me Rogue?" The Professor asked, wheeling in. I glanced over at Hank and Professor Xavier fallowed my gaze. He smiled kindly at the big doctor.

"Hank, Rogue and I need a moment alone. You can come back to do your tests in a few moments."

"Of course," said Hank, moving quickly out of the room, and closing the door behind him. Professor Xavier wheeled his chair so he was facing me directly.

"Please go ahead, my dear."

I took a breath and sorted out the messed up thoughts in my head. All the voices were talking at once, distracting me.

Every one shut! Carol screamed in my head. The silence that followed was immediate. "Thank you, Carol," I said allowed. I then addressed the Professor.

"Carol had been with Ken for some time, and he has revealed quite a lot of his plans to her. She happens to know what Ken wants from you so badly," I said, pronouncing each word slowly, giving me time to listen to Carol at the same time.

"Please tell me," said Professor, not hiding the eagerness in his voice. Ken's actions had confused even him.

"He wants…he wants your brain."

"My brain?"

"Yes. He believes that with your mind, he can operate it so that he can also become physic…without becoming a mutant. His intelligence would increase, and that would help him create a plan to destroy all mutants. He could sell this plan to the highest bidder, becoming a very rich man?" I exhaled, finishing up all that I had to tell him.

"Rogue you are sure of this?" asked the Professor, sweating appearing on his brow. "Is Carol honest?"

"Carol would never lie to me, were to closely knit for her to lie," I said, with complete confidence. I had not yet spent time getting to know the only woman to ever enter my head, but she had held onto me until the end, binding us closer than I was with any of the others.

"Thank you, Rogue. I must go discuss this with the others."

I nodded and sat back down on my bed. The professor exited and Hank came back in, a happy smile on his face.

"Well my dear, let's do some tests on that strength of yours."

* * *

When Professor Xavier left the office, he immediately went in search of Marina. With all her experience, she had a better insight on the criminal mind than normal people, even physics like him; especially since he could not seem to find Ken's mind to read. Xavier scanned the house with his mind and he found Marina sitting by the pool with her son. He called out to her and she immediately dismissed herself and headed down to his office.

"Hello Professor," said Marina, a large smile on her face. Since she had told Bobby about their relationship, she couldn't seem to keep from smiling.

"Marina, in exact words, what did Ken ask for when you met with him," said the Professor, not bothering to greet her. Marina sat down on the couch, her smile finally leaving her face as she thought.

"He told me that he wanted nothing of the school. He wanted me to get you so that he could 'talk' with you for awhile. I think he wanted to do more than talk since he needed some one to force you to him."

"Marina, I have acquired new information from Rogue. I need to know what you think would be the best course of action."

* * *

Toad was stretching his legs on the floor when there was a knock on the door of is temporary room.

"Come in," he shouted. Instead of the door opening, water seeped through the bottom of the door and formed into Marina. She grinned and flopped down on his bed.

"Hey Toad, are you still in touch of your assassin side?" she asked casually, tracing designs on his bed cover.

"Oh don' apologize, I just love forward people who like tah re-open closed wounds. In fact I like tah make a daily sport if it," snapped Toad.

"Do I detect sarcasm?" asked Marina, sitting up and squinting at him.

"Shut up an' tell me what you wanna know." Toad put his hand on Marina's forehead and playfully shoved it so she fell backwards on to the bed again.

"I want to know if you wanna do a little job with me," she said, propping herself up on one elbow.

"Like?"

"Like taking out Ken," said Marina. Toad studied Marina for a few moments, looking at her with his large yellow eyes, making her fidget.

"How do ya wanna do it?"


	20. Hit Men

_Hey its my final chapter! I reallly hope all of you enjoy it._

**A special thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 19.**

**EJB, Galadeidre, Made of the Mer, ShortAtntionSpaz, Crazy4Cocopuffs**

**Luvs to you!**

**20. Hit Men**

Marina's POV

"I can't believe I'm doing this," said Lucy Price. She was one of the younger students, only 13, yet she was joining me and Toad on our mission. Kids her age weren't allowed to go on life risking missions, so it took a lot of persuading, but we finally managed to get the professors consent.

Lucy tugged at her black clothing, and pulled her black beanie over her blonde hair. She was hopping around excitedly while Toad stood gloomily in the corner. He and I were feeling the same about Lucy, we thought there was too much at stake for her to be so excited, except the difference between us was that I decided not to let my feelings show.

"Its time to go, girl," I said, walking into the jet. Toad took a flying leap and landed inside the plane, he buckled in beside me so that Lucy would have to sit somewhere else. Storm invited the young girl to sit upfront with her, which was a huge honour.

"Is it really a good idea askin some lil girl tah 'elp us?" asked Toad.

"You know we need her gifts, Toad," I replied, leaning back my head and closing my eyes. I was worried about the missions; I may be considered a criminal by many, but that didn't mean I killed people.

I glanced over at Toad who was looking off in the other direction. We had wordlessly acknowledged that when the time came, he would do the killing; he was trained to do it. Before long the jet jerked as it landed and soon afterward all but stormed got out.

O

I stood in the cobblestone courtyard, not looking near the roof where I knew Lucy and Toad were watching me. Beside me was Professor Xavier, looking calm in his wheelchair. It took me a few minutes to get used to the fact that it wasn't really the Professor, only an illusion, courtesy to little Lucy Price.

The mutant child had gotten nervous near the end, especially since I was leaving her high up on the roof with no one around but Toad. But I convinced her that Toad would be nice, and whispered a harsh warning to him a few minutes later.

A door opened and out of the building came Ken and five large armed men.

"Ah Marina, I'm glad you finally agreed to help me. I will pay you when I am finished _talking_ with Xavier, here," said Ken, never taking his eyes of Lucy's Illusion.

"I want it now," I said, keeping my eyes cold. Ken raised an eyebrow at me and smiled.

"You must be patient dear. You-"

"Give it to me now and I will leave Xavier with and forget everything," I said, interrupting Ken.

"Marina please, don't do this," said Xavier, looking up at me. His face displayed desperation and sadness, darn Lucy was good. I pretended to ignore him and I stared silently at Ken.

The man smiled wickedly and motioned for me to follow him inside. That was the signal, Toad could not lose sight of his target, and he wouldn't miss his chance. There was a dull thud and one of the five guards fell to the ground, a bloody hole in his head.

The four remaining guards kicked into action making a circle around Ken and looking for the sniper. Xavier's illusion disappeared and I felt relief, knowing that Lucy had run for cover, and was no longer in trouble. The only problem with this was that Ken now knew I was against him.

"Shoot her!" he cried, his eyes wide.

All four men turned to me and started shooting off rounds into me, but they were too late, I was already in my water form and undefeatable. Distracted by me, two more guards fell to the ground, their brains blown out and displayed on the cobble stones. That's when the remaining men spotted Toad's location and started shooting at him instead.

Toad leapt from his location and ran for another. Although I had watched him for only a brief second, I _was_ distracted, and Ken was already racing for the house. I sloshed after him, knocking him down by a wave. He skidded across the muddy floor, but continued to scramble towards the house. I moved in on him, and he quickly reached inside his jacket.

I thought he was reaching for a gun, which wasn't a bother for me. I was wrong; instead he brought out something that looked like an electric razor. It was electric alright, but it wasn't used for shaving. He shoved it into me and a jolt of electricity shot through me. He held it there and my water form began to shake. I knew I couldn't hold out that way and I flopped to the ground, human once again.

Toad was pleased with himself, getting three guys down without even getting caught. Sure he wished he could just get Ken and be done with it all, but for safety's sake he had to get the others.

Toad was hoping from his positions and he quickly shot one more guard, leaving only one left, then Ken… if Marina hadn't gotten to him first. His eyes flickered around the courtyard to check on the water angel, but what he saw made him freeze. Ken stood in the middle of the court yard his body pressed into Marina, some sort of devise shoved into her chest.

"Cease your fire, or the girl dies!" Ken shouted. Toad's mind raced as he tired to think of a solution. This aggravated him, he normally didn't mind losing someone for the cause, but Marina was different. He looked from behind his cover at Marina. She was looking at Toad with calm blue eyes, not a sign of worry on her face.

"It'll be alright," Marina said, a smile creeping up on her face. Ken didn't want her speaking and tightened his grip around her. Toad leaned back and breathed deeply, never taking his eyes off them.

"I'm growing impatient, shall I just kill her now?" asked Ken. Toad's quickly jumped from his hiding place and he shot three rapid shots at Marina, making sure to avoid her head. She screamed as the bullets tore through her body, and she fell to her knees as the blood spilled from her wounds. Two more shots left Toad's gun, and the finally guard fell.

Toad stood out of his crouching position and looking at Ken with his big yellow eyes. Blood was beginning to spill out of Ken's mouth as he put a hand over one of the three bullets that had been fired into Marina. Toad sprinted towards him and at the last minute jumped, slamming both feet in to Ken's chest. Ken flew too the ground, his head smashing open on the pavement.

Toad studied his work for a moment before nodding in approval; he then went to crouch beside Marina. She was sitting on the ground, completely healed of her wounds. Toad held out a hand to help her up but she jumped up on her own and whacked him over the back of the head.

"You dick! How dare you go and shooting me like that! Oh and you didn't shoot me once, and not twice but three times!" Marina continued to smack Toad as she threw insults, but he just laughed and dodged her blows.

"Come on 'Rina, lets get ya home."

* * *

Marina entered Professor Xavier's office and sat down across from him at his desk.

"Well?" he asked.

"It all done," Marina replied.

"Good."

* * *

Bobby's POV

I was happy to feel Marina back at the mansion. Although all the other students were kept in the dark, Marina had told me what she and Toad were going to do. I had been worried that I would never see her again, and I had only felt okay when I saw her exiting the Professor's office. I quickly ran to catch up with her.

"Hey darling," said Marina, wrapping an arm around me. We walked into one of the living rooms and sat down on a couch. I had a lot going through my mind, and I knew Marina knew it as well.

"What's bothering you?" she asked, taking my hand.

"What are you going to do, now that the trouble is over," I asked.

"Go looking for more trouble," said Marina, a sly grin on her face. I laughed, but I didn't want her to start changing the subject. "I don't know Bobby," she said.

"But you won't be sticking around here will you?" From all that I had learned about my birth mother, she was not one to stick around for very long. A place full of innocent kids was probably not the best environment for her. At first Marina didn't say anything; she just looked at me with her intensely blue eyes.

"I promise that I'll always make sure we're in touch. I'll never just disappear from you."

I wanted her around, but I was glad she still wanted to be in contact with me. I gave Marina a kiss on the cheek and I stood up to go to dinner.

* * *

"Hey Scotty!" Marina jumped up from one of the dinner tables and ran to hug her friend. Scott was in a large white cast, so Marina had to hug him gently.

"Hey Marina, I heard you ended it," said Scott. Marina gave him a small smile, not wanting to attract the attention of some of the other students. Scott understood Marina's antics and just nodded.

The water angel pulled out a chair for her friend and served up a plate of food. She sat down across from him and began to eat her own food. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some one walk past the dining room door.

Marina silently slid off of her chair and walked out of the dining room. Once out of the other's vision she raced down the hallway and out the front door.

"Wait!" Toad stopped and turned around, standing just out of the front light. "Leaving so soon?"

"Obviously," said Toad, glaring at her with his yellow eyes.

"Can't you stay longer?"

"No."

"Oh." Marina looked down at her feet, shoving the gravel with her shoes. When she looked back at him, she had a friendly smile on her face.

"Can I hug you goodbye?" Toad's eyes widened and he took a quick step backwards. "Aw come on, you got to shoot me three times! Me hugging you can't be as bad," said Marina, moving towards him.

"We talked about that physical contact th-" Marina threw her arms around him and he stood rigid.

"It isn't a hug if you don't hug me back," Marina whispered in his ear. Toad slowly wrapped his arms around her and then quickly let go, taking a small step backwards.

"That was fun," Marina said. Toad scowled, but didn't move from his spot. He leaned forward and Marina closed her eyes as he kissed her softly on the lips. They were barely in contact for a secpmd before Toad parted contact and quickly began to walk down the driveway. Marina raced after him, and grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket.

"Look I'm sorry, kay?" said Toad, looking very nervous. "I knows you're barely outta yoah teens and I shouldn't have messed with you." Marina crossed her arms and smirked at him, as he watched her nervously.

"I'm 31."

"Oh."

Toad and Marina stood at the end of the driveway, looking at each other through the darkness. They talked in hushed tones for the next half hour before Marina entered the house once again, going straight to her room.

Bobby could feel her change; he knew she had made a decision. He left his group of friends and raced to the front door. Marina was just exiting, her bag in her hand. When she saw her son she set it down and kissed her hand before pretending to blow the kiss to him.

Bobby didn't want her to go, but he knew she had to be released. He smiled at her and she grinned back. She then picked up her bag and she walked out that door, not to return for a long time. Although she hadn't stayed for long, Marina Ocean was remembered by all the students at the school.

Some of the students who had had the pleasure of knowing her were changed. Some how she had done something for those kids that no one had ever done for her. She made a difference.

THE END

little sarah jane ran away from home

fourteen and pregnent she was all alone

couldn't run from wrong, and was gonna be sent away

walkin' with her black and blue eyes full tears

the burden that she carries much to old for her years

looking at her face would confirm your worst fears

but instead she goes unnoticed

Sarah Jane another girl who is dying inside

you'd think that someone would stop

but we hide, to intent on completing our day

and she's left there to say

Chorus:

Do you hear me?

Can you see me?

Walking down the street watching you

You could help me

But your not looking

I bet you would if only you knew

You could make a difference

Do you hear me?

Can you see me?

Walking down the street needing you

I want to make it

How can I get there?

If you showed me that you cared, you know

You could make the difference

He's left to watch the world from the fifteenth floor

alone with the reminder, don't go out anymore

You know those boys are trouble here in our neighborhood

BUt you're my boy and you've got the chance to be something good

Still the call of the streets was too much to ignore

Now he's caught up in the game and can't find an open door

He's a good boy gone bad and he's trying to get out

But everybody's too afraid to hear what he's talking about

Marcus Brown, lives a life much too old for his age

If no one responds, he'll be words on a page

Another statistic dead cause no calls were made

To check on the boy who was missing from the fifth grade

chorus

bridge

Everywhere you turn there's hurting people passing by

Its such a shame that we could change a life but we don't try

To look outside out world and delve

Into the problems in this place

The children need an answer, and God needs your face

_Out Of Eden, Sarah Jane._

**_Hey My story is now officially complete! I don't really like the ending to much so i may rework it later. Anyone i'm thinking of startying a new story...well kinda like a sequel, called 'Letter to Bobby-Grey.' If i do write it i hope i'll get some reviews from you._**

**_Luvs to you all! _**

**_Good Bye!_**


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